MOScout Daily Update: MOChamber Fills Gov Affairs Roles - Price To May’s Office - Strong Dec Revenues - Readers’ Poll Results and more…
MOChamber Hires for Session
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is adding two new members to its governmental affairs team. Luke Reed will serve as director of legislative affairs and Cade Tremain will be manager of governmental affairs.
· Reed most recently served as legislative director for the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance where he advocated for stakeholders in the fields of insurance, banking and utilities.
· Tremain worked as an outreach services coordinator with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.
And
The Chamber has also hired Alex Tuttle as a contract lobbyist for the 2025 legislative session.
First in MOScout: Price Returns to Building
Former Rep. Wiley Price will be returning to the building. He’s joining the staff of Sen. Karla May.
Price was censured by the House in January 2021 following an ethics complaint alleging that he committed perjury, obstructed the Ethics Committee investigation, and that his conduct “compromised the ability of the House to provide a respectful, professional work environment.”
· Price then lost a primary to Del Taylor in 2022.
December Revenues Soar
December state tax revenues were very strong, coming in 19% higher than December 2023. That’s an increase of $207 million. The strong showing brings the fiscal-year-to-date number slightly ahead of last year (+.07%).
What It Means
Truly this only brings revenue back to even with last year, so it’s not time to do backflips of joy. Still, it should allow for some small relief to budgeteers. A deteriorating revenue situation would certainly make them more cautious this session. Instead, this appears to show some firming of tax receipts.
End of the Year Readers’ Poll
Results from the Readers’ Poll…
1. Overcoming the Longest Odds 2024
Wesley Bell… 8.23%
Denny Hoskins… 16.46%
Mike Kehoe… 51.90%
Vivek Malek… 23.42%
Reader comments: Kurtis Gregory, Bill Allen’s house win that almost no one thought possible, David Wasinger, Andrew Bailey beating Will Scharf by 26% despite being outspent by $7 million, Amendment 3 making it to the ballot after the intervention of 2 statewide officials, a lawsuit at the Supreme Court, and two hostile legislative sessions, HRCC - Overcomes $30 million from Amendment 3 and female backlash to Trump to hold same number of seats they started with.
2. Biggest Legislative Achievement 2024
Freedom Caucus maneuvering budget cuts… 3.90%
Scott Fitzpatrick passing additional powers for auditor… 20.78%
Lincoln Hough nailing down a 5-Year FRA extension… 40.26%
Andrew Koenig’s education omnibus… 35.06%
Readers’ comments: Roberts and Luetkemeyer's success on round 2 of public safety omnibus, Senate democrats blocking IP reform with longest ever filibuster in history. Paving the way for amendment 3 to pass at the ballot a few months later, Big Pharma getting outworked on 340B, Kill the Fill.
3. Lawsuit(s) of the Year 2024
Chicken farmers in Dexter suing Tyson Foods… 9.62%
KC Chief fan suing Missouri state senators… 30.77%
Dana Miller’s suit against Dean Plocher and Rod Jetton… 19.23%
Rocky Miller prevailing against “revolving door” wait periods… 33.33%
Torch’s suits against Missouri Highway Patrol and Green County to defend its business… 7.05%
Amendment 6 ballot language legal battle - killed it, Keeping Amendment 3 on the ballot.
4. Best Pivot 2024
Jamie Burger Floor Leader race to Senate… 12.88%
Jill Carter exits Freedom Caucus… 22.09%
Valentina Gomez from Missouri to Texas… 9.82%
Bob Onder from LG race to Congress... 42.33%
Caleb Rowden from SOS race to lobbyist… 12.88%
5. Best plot twist 2024
HRCC holds supermajority, while quiet killing Lonsdale… 36.48%
Patty Lewis demolishes “boys’ club” in Senate 7… 19.50%
Dean Plocher hires Rod Jetton… 25.16%
Justin Sparks declares for Speaker AFTER Caucus voted for JP… 18.87%
Reader comment: JP supports “will of people” for Amend 3.
6. Worst Political Bet 2024
Club for Growth - $5+ million GOP AG race… 36.88%
Mike Hamra - $2 million Dem gov’s race… 41.25%
Lori Rook - $500,000 for GOP Treas race… 14.37%
Yes on 5 funders - $5 million for 47%... 7.50%
Readers’ comments: School choice $- Christo, Dinkins, Richey.
7. Mike Parson Legacy
Handling of COVID… 8.39%
I-70 re-build… 50.35%
Pardons and commutations… 7.69%
Statewide appointments… 29.37%
Tax cuts… 4.20%
Readers’ comments: Bringing back some dignity to the office after our disgraced former governor made Missouri into a punchline, Giving more attention/money to education/workforce dev than any other GOP gov in history, State Fair Arena that will be named after him, Attention to child care (albeit with significant implementation problems), This will definitely not be mentioned, but it will be something I remember: his response/reaction to the STL Post-Dispatch reporter who found the MASSIVE privacy breach on DESE's website regarding educator SSNs. Parson acting like the grandpa who doesn't understand technology going after the reporter as a "hacker" with bad intentions - - and NO ONE on his staff stopping him/correcting him - - was appalling. And, to my knowledge, never an apology once someone realized that hitting F-12 on your keyboard doesn't make you a hacker.
8. Incoming Senator Most Likely to Filibuster
Patty Lewis… 5.73%
Joe Nicola…17.20%
Maggie Nurrenberg… 7.64%
Adam Schnelting… 19.75%
Stephen Webber… 49.68%
Reader comment: Brad Hudson.
9. Incoming Senator Most Likely to be Pro Tem Someday
Jamie Burger… 13.58%
David Gregory… 11.73%
Kurtis Gregory… 49.38%
Mike Henderson… 17.90%
Brad Hudson… 7.41%
10. Incoming House Freshman Most Likely to be Speaker Someday
Carolyn Caton… 5.97%
George Hruza… 34.33%
Becky Laubinger… 1.49%
Cathy Jo Loy… 22.39%
Brandon Phelps… 29.10%
Jeff Vernetti… 6.72%
Readers comments: Colin Wellenkamp, No idea who these people are, Mike Costlow, Cecelie Williams, Mike Jones.
$5K+ Contributions
Northland Strong PAC - $20,000 from PCA-KC, LLC.
Truth in Campaigns (pro-Rizzo) - $20,000 (pro-Sauls) from Independence Leadership PAC.
Lobbyist Registrations
Rich AuBuchon added MOSFA PAC, Inc.; and deleted Guidepoint Security LLC.
Tyler Travers added Thank You Walt Disney Inc, Vertex Strategic Relations, and Renew Missouri.
Alex Tuttle added Missouri Chamber of Commerce.
Kelly Burgeson added Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.
Jonathan Lorenz added Union Electric Co. DBA Amerenue, Ameren Services, Ameren Corp.
Joseph Miller added Brightli.
Thomas Riggs added TLR Strategies LLC.
Matthew Roney added Armour District, LLC.
Dan Stuart added American Action Fund.
Cade Tremain added Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Michael Lodewegen added Altria Client Services LLC and its Affiliates-Philip Morris USA Inc., John Middleton Co., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co., Helix Innovations LLC, and NJOY, LLC; and deleted Safer St. Louis, LLC.
Tim Green deleted Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, LLC. DBA AT&T Missouri, LLC. and its Affiliates.
Dean Johnson deleted Quality Schools Coalition.
Travis Lowe deleted American Public Works Association- Kansas City Metro Chapter.
Heidi Noelle Lucas deleted Missouri Association of Rural Health Clinics.
Chuck Pierce deleted Farmer Holding Company, Associated Industries of Missouri, Missouri Transportation & Development Council, and Taxpayers Research Institute of Missouri.
Randy Scherr and Brian Bernskoetter deleted PhRMA.
Bill Shoehigh deleted Paypool, and FreedomCare, LLC.
Jeff Millar deleted The LEAD Lobbyists.
Bob Priddy deleted National Museum of Transportation.
Mike Winter deleted Windstream Communications, Inc.
StevenCarroll deleted Department of Sheriff/City of St. Louis.
Aly Gatwood, of Schaefer Law & Policy LLC, terminated her lobbyist registration.
Paul Lewis deleted United States Police Canine Association-Region 16.
Mark Rhoads deleted Central States Water Resources..
Richard Brownlee deleted MOSFA PAC, Inc.
Birthdays
Happy birthday to DaRon McGee.
Saturday: Rob Schaaf, and Dottie Bailey.
Sunday: Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, Emilee Lakin, Joe Adams, and Sara Lampe.
MOScout Schedule
No editions this weekend. Back on Monday. I’ll be starting up “Week Ahead” texts on Sunday as session starts Wednesday. If you’re not on the text list and wish to be, email me (dave@moscout.com) your cell phone number.