MOScout Daily Update: Latest Map Suit - HBS Spikes Football - Chiefs’ Price Tag: $6B? - Meet Vertex and more…
MOScout schedule… Short week. Today is a round-up from the long holiday weekend. Tomorrow will be the year-end “Readers’ Poll.” Then a quick update Wednesday morning and I’ll be off for the New Year’s weekend.
Is The New Map In Effect or Not?
ACLU’s Tori Schafer filed suit last week asking “the Court to declare House Bill 1 (“HB1”)—an act creating new congressional districts in Missouri—suspended until voters approve or reject the legislation through the constitutional referendum process.”
The suit’s arguments…
· Consistent with this authority, prior Secretaries of State and Attorneys General have concluded that the suspension of referred legislation does not require the issuance of a certificate of sufficiency by the Secretary of State… Indeed, a request to circumvent this established process for a 1980s referendum on trucking legislation was rejected by this Court.
· Attorney General Catherine Hanway cited Article III, Section 52(b) of the Missouri Constitution to explain that, “[i]f a referendum petition gains enough signatures to qualify for a vote before the people, the challenged law is frozen pending the public vote…”
The Bigger Picture
It’s amazing how something almost no one wanted to do – redraw the congressional map mid-decade – has been an enormous time, money, and attention drain from actual public policy and improving Missouri.
HB Strategies Spikes Football
Capitol denizens’ eyes were popping out over the weekend as HB Strategies did a little end-zone dance celebrating the Chiefs’ move to Kansas…
HBS is run by Andy Blunt, who’s one of Governor Mike Kehoe’s tightest allies. Ouch.
Reaction…
· If I was Husch I would tout helping with the deal to allow the Chiefs to move to Kansas as it shows working on a large deal and success, but I wonder if it shows betrayal to Kehoe and MO with the MO lobby corp.
· Understand how toxic the stadium vote is to Republicans. Of all issues, other than maybe abortion, the stadium vote will kill the politician that voted for it. All those people who voted for it will own that vote without any real benefit to the community.
KS Chiefs Price Tag… $6B?!?
Kansas City Business Journal reports that the public subsidy price tag for luring the Chiefs away from Missouri will likely amount to more than $6 billion, once interest is factored in.
· The STAR bonds are contemplated to cover $1.8 billion for a $3 billion domed stadium at Interstates 70 and 435 near Kansas Speedway, plus as much as $975 million for at least $1 billion (and as much as $1.5 billion) in tiered ancillary development, to include a $300 million training facility and team headquarters in Olathe.
· Geoffrey Propheter, a University of Colorado-Denver professor, estimated that $1.8 billion and $975 million in STAR bond principal would equate to $3.2 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively, in total debt service. There also are annual maintenance payments to consider… All told, Propheter said public cost for the Chiefs could hit $6.3 billion — an "intentional lowball estimate" — as potentially the most generous public sports subsidy in history.
Lookback: Hallway’s Early Warning
From June 2024… MOScout’s Hallway Index: Kansas Thievin’ the Chiefs? “How worried should we be that the Chiefs will relocate on the Kansas side of KC?” 21 replies…
RESULTS
1. Very worried… 57.1%
2. Somewhat worried… 33.3%
3. Not worried at all… 9.5%
Help Wanted
DSS seeks Director of Pharmacy. The Director of Pharmacy is MO HealthNet Division’s primary source of clinical pharmaceutical expertise. The director oversees policy and processes around clinical editing tools, prior authorizations and clinical edits, Preferred Drug List, and performs evidence-based therapeutic class reviews. The director also evaluates clinical patient profiles to encourage appropriate medication utilization and to identify medical necessity and manages pharmacy advisory group meetings. The Director of Pharmacy interacts with key stakeholders on a regular basis. See the posting here.
Why It Matters
This position could influence the ongoing PBM debate. While the Director of Pharmacy doesn’t control PBM contracts or pricing, they may shape the clinical rules PBMs enforce like prior authorizations, and medical-necessity standards within MO HealthNet Division.
Meet Vertex
Tyler Travers, who previously staffed Greg Razer, unveiled a new website for his firm Vertex Strategic Relations. See it here.
At Vertex Strategic Relations, we specialize in guiding clients through the complexities of Missouri’s state government. Our expert government relations and strategic consulting services help organizations navigate the legislative process, build key relationships, and achieve success in the state capitol. We are dedicated to delivering results that align with client goals and drive meaningful outcomes.
KC to Be Home to Immigrant ‘Warehouse’
Washington Post reports that ICE is building out new infrastructure to support efforts to deport illegal immigrants.
Newly arrested detainees would be booked into processing sites for a few weeks before being funneled into one of seven large-scale warehouses holding 5,000 to 10,000 people each, where they would be staged for deportation. The large warehouses would be located close to major logistics hubs in Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia and Missouri.
$5K+ Contributions
Old Drum Conservative PAC (pro-Hoskins) - $25,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
Tony PAC (pro-Luetkemeyer) - $10,000 from Jim C Walton (Bentonville, AR).
417 PAC (pro-Trent) - $25,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
AshPac (pro-Aune) - $10,000 from Missouri Gaming PAC.
Heart of SGF PAC (pro-Stinnett) - $15,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
Heart of SGF PAC - $10,000 from Paladin PAC.
Heart of SGF PAC - $10,000 from Jim Walton (Bentonville, AR).
Heart of SGF PAC - $7,500 from One Call Corp (Jacksonville, FL).
People Not Politicians - $300,000 from American Opportunity Action (Washington, DC).
Missouri Energy Development Association Political Action Committee - $100,000 from Ameren Missouri.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $25,000 from Missouri Gaming PAC.
Committee To Elect Steve Ehlmann - $50,000 from Build St. Louis PAC Inc.
Quentin Wilson for Auditor - $50,000 from Quentin Wilson.
Respect MO Voters Campaign - $32,000 from Show Me Integrity.
POL PAC - $50,000 from Polsinelli.
MFR PAC - $200,000 from Onyx 7 LLC.
Eftink for Judge - $10,000 from James Eftink.
Missouri House Democrats Action Fund - $10,000 from Ashley for Missouri.
IRP PAC - $25,000 from McCown Gordon.
Friends of Judge Colby Smith-Hynes - $30,000 from Colby Smith-Hynes.
Treatment Now PAC - $20,000 from Assisted Recovery Centers.
Lobbyist Registrations
Thomas Nowacki added Greene County Commission.
Joshua Zoppina added BAYADA Hearts for Home Care.
Robert Lattin deleted BAYADA Home Health Care.
Zach Pollock and Jon Hensley deleted DailyPay, Inc.
Andrew ‘Blake’ Rollins deleted The Poultry Federation.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthday to Julie Gibson.