MOScout Weekender: Tax Cut Roadmap - Dueker to AG’s Office - Hallway on St. Charles - Who Won the Week and more…

Roadmap of the ‘Road to Zero’

Next week when Governor Mike Kehoe unveils his plan to phase out the state income tax, it’ll likely be a two-stepper…

·       Step 1: Buy-in from Missourians that it’s a journey they want to make.

·       Step 2: The nitty-gritty details.

For now, I’d expect that Kehoe will focus on Step 1, and avoid the potential unpleasantness of Step 2.

Step 1 would be a constitutional change to go before voters in 2026, amending the parameters of sales tax to allow it to be broadened. 

·       I’m told there would be exemptions: agriculture, real estate, and health care. 

If voters approve the change in 2026, then the legislature would hash out the details. 

·       The details, in this case, would be pretty fucking huge, by the way: what’s the scope, and schedule of sales tax rate increases phasing in and income tax rates phasing out?

Dueker to AG’s Office

Yesterday on The Mark Reardon Show, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that Jane Dueker would be joining her office.

“I really have the need in the Attorney General’s Office for somebody who knows, understands, and supports the police department, who knows the problems of violent crime in the city, who’s willing to expose it, who will go after it really hard, including not-for-profits that might be engaged in fraud.  And I couldn’t think of anybody better than Jane Dueker to fulfill that role.”

Remington/MOScout Poll

No poll this week.

MOScout’s Hallway Index: St. Charles Exec Race

I asked lobbyists, “Who will win the St. Charles County Executive Republican primary?” 20 replies…

RESULTS

1. Steve Ehlmann… 50%

2. Bill Eigel… 35%

3. Jason Law… 5%

4. No opinion… 10%

Sample of Comments

·       33.4% to 33.3% to 33.2% - % each candidate will receive with Ehlmann on top.

·       Tough to beat a popular incumbent

·       Eigel wins, but then the hard part comes... governing.

·       People are used to voting for Ehlmann and he’s got no drama.

·       Eigel wins

·       Eigel is the loudest in the room, which in today's political environment wins.

Who Won the Week?

Chad Perkins – Packed fundraiser makes him look like the favorite if Sen. Travis Fitzwater opts out of running for a second term.

Chris Schappe – Lands big appointment to the Board of Probation and Parole.

Brenda Shields – Child care legislation has early momentum with backing of Governor Mike Kehoe and Missouri Chamber of Commerce.

Jake Zimmerman – He’s late to the race, but Zimmerman had one of the best “launch videos” I’ve ever seen.

Find a downloadable version here.

$5K+ Contributions

Missouri Alliance PAC (pro-Patterson) - $50,000 from Sports Betting Alliance (Lubbock, TX).

Missouri Alliance PAC - $25,000 from J&J Ventures Gaming of MO (Effingham, IL).

Missouri Alliance PAC - $10,000 from MO Realtors PAC.

Joplin Forward PAC - $10,000 from Crossland Heavy Contractors, Inc. (Columbus, KS).

Joplin Forward PAC - $10,000 from Crossland Construction Company (Columbus, KS).

A Brighter Future for St Louis PAC (pro-Cara Spencer) - $46,116 from St. Louis Union Station.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Roy Blunt, Trevor Fox, Carmen Schulze, Dean Johnson, and Randy Jotte.

Sunday: Scott Intagliata and Judy Morgan.