MOScout Daily Update: Hancock 2.0 or Brownback 2.0? - Worrisome Corrections Math - Kinder for Ibogaine and more…
Hancock 2.0 or Kansas 2.0?
Sen. Brad Hudson is tackling one of this year’s top issues: property taxes. His sprawling 280-page bill had a hearing in the Select Committee on Property Taxes and the State Tax Commission this week. I think the biggest, most controversial, component is strengthening property tax rollbacks.
In short, it would stop local governments from excluding new construction and certain levies when doing the rollback math. That means that when property values go up, they’d have to cut their tax rates more than they do now, leading to smaller tax bills than under current practice.
· Hudson described it as Hancock 2.0, referring to the constitutional amendment which caps tax revenue growth.
· But Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern drew an alternative reference, calling it “Kansas Brownback 2.0,” referring to Kansas’ failed tax cuts of 2012 which were later reversed.
Because property taxes fund schools and local governments, that seems to be the source of most of the opposition. Speaking against the bill were: Missouri Council of School Administrators, Missouri NEA, NKC Schools, Missouri Municipal League, and Missouri Association of Counties.
But Sen. Joe Nicola seemed okay letting the chips (and revenues) fall where they may: “I was not elected to fund local government. I was elected to protect the people's liberty and freedom, and homeownership is the number one way we grow wealth in this nation.”
We’re still in the early innings of this game. Hudson said he’s not married to the bill in its current form. And he acknowledged the fraught process of making changes: “I like to describe Missouri's property tax system as a giant game of Jenga. If you pull the wrong piece out at the wrong time, the whole thing is going to fall apart.”
1 Big Thing: Corrections Math
At the Senate Appropriations committee this week, there was discussion of trends that may create big challenges for our correctional system.
Director Trevor Foley said there’s been a sharp increase in the rate of growth in Missouri’s incarcerated population. Here’s his explanation of the recent history and current trend…
· After the Criminal Code rewrite, which took effect in August 2017, our population dropped substantially as the policy did what it was intended. And it pushed a lot of nonviolent and drug related offenses to community supervision as opposed to prison.
· Then we entered the pandemic, and the population pretty much cratered substantially as court activity slowed down and law enforcement clearance rates slowed down.
· Our low point in population the recent decades was in February 2021. From that point until February 2025, we grew at a rate of about 0.87 offenders per day. So less than one offender per day.
· Since February 2025 through the balance of the calendar year 2025, our growth rate was nearly 3 [offenders] per day. So it more than tripled in the last ten months of calendar year 2025...
It appears to be driven by one factor… The flip side of [the criminal code rewrite] was violence and sex offenses got longer sentences. So now… those longer sentences are kicking in, and you're seeing a decline in releases.
So part of the increasing factor is a decline in releases. The other part that was not expected was we have seen an increase in new commitments from the community from the courts.
Why It Matters
Also from Foley’s testimony: The average cost to incarcerate an offender for a year is over $39,000.
· The ballpark cost of building an entire new 1,500 bed facility: $900 million.
Meanwhile, the staffing remains a big problem for the Department of Corrections. Their turnover rate for new hires in the first six months is 50%. As a consequence, Foley said, “We have almost 1,200 beds across the system that are offline because of staffing.”
· Asked about what makes staffing so difficult, Foley pointed to compensation: “pay is certainly a part of the recruiting and retention issue.”
· But also, “It’s often some of the little things that people don't realize about working in a prison, trying to recruit 18- to 30-year-olds in an environment where you're not allowed to have your phone. I mean, that's a huge culture shock for a lot of people… Phones are contraband within the prison.”
Brattin Does DC
From Ed Martin’s twitter account…
Kinder Touts Psych Drug Potential
On Mark Reardon’s show, former Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder said he’s working to advance promising research into ibogaine.
There are at least three bills this session aimed at increasing the study of ibogaine…
· Sen. Jason Bean’s SB 1581.
· Rep. Matthew Overcast’s HB 2817.
· Rep. Richard West’s HB 2961.
Mizzou Naming Right$
Columbia Missourian reports that “in an effort to generate more revenue for the athletic department, Mizzou is selling the corporate naming rights to Memorial Stadium.”
· A few recent deals can give folks a vague idea of what the cost could be… In November, Arizona sold the naming rights to Arizona Stadium for $60 million over 20 years. In August, Indiana also sold the naming rights to its stadium (also called Memorial Stadium) for 20 years and $50 million (the stadium retained “Memorial,” though: Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium).
Weber for City Council
Rep. Emily Weber announced that she’s running for KC City Council’s 4th District At-Large seat.
I’m running because many of the same issues people deal with at the state level are the same challenges Kansas Citians are facing locally: from housing costs and public safety to basic city services that don’t always work the way they should.
Hanaway: Be Sure It’s Really Love
Press release: Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is warning Missouri consumers that romance scams are one of the fastest-growing forms of fraud, costing victims billions of dollars each year and leaving deep emotional scars... Romance scams occur when criminals create fake identities online to form emotional relationships, gain trust, and ultimately manipulate victims into sending money, financial information, or personal data. Scammers often operate through dating apps, social media platforms, messaging services, and even professional networking sites.
· “Romance scammers don’t just steal hearts, they steal savings….” said Attorney General Hanaway.
$5K+ Contributions
American Dream PAC (pro-Kehoe) - $8,000 from Matthew Mills.
Committee To Elect Steve Ehlmann - $10,000 from Beau Brauer.
STLCO PAC (pro-Brian Williams) - $50,000 from Ketchmark & McCreight, P.C. (Leawood, KS).
Association of MO Electric Cooperatives (AMEC PAC) - $12,500 from Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative.
Lobbyist Registrations
Matt Flanders added Citizens' Council for Health Freedom.
Kathryn Harness added GFI Digital.
Derek Coats and Thomas Burner deleted Viserion Grain.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Sen. Steven Roberts, and Jay Nixon (the big 7-0).
Saturday: Jeffrey Altmann, Michael Moorefield, and Katie Jamboretz.
Sunday: Rep. Jeff Coleman, Hannah Kelly, and Timothy Flook.
MOScout Schedule
I’ll be off this weekend for Presidents’ Day (and maybe a little Mardi-Gras-ing). The Senate is off Monday. The House, though, is in session. I will be back in your inbox Monday morning.