MOScout Daily Update: Income Tax Votes and Senate Races - No More Spanking - Labor Backs Avery - Meet King Policy Group and more…
House Perfects HJR 173 & 174
The House perfected the resolution that’s the first step of Governor Mike Kehoe’s plan to phase out the state income tax. It was not an overwhelming vote: 85 in favor, 48 against, 6 present, and 19 absent. But one supporter said, “A lot of them didn’t realize it was going to be a roll-call vote and I believe we are going to have a really good Thursday [when it’s third-read].”
Interestingly, the vote could be an issue in some race this year…
· Senate 6: Rep. Rudy Veit voted against, while his primary opponent Jake Vogel put out a statement in favor of the proposal.
· Senate 8: Speaker Jon Patterson has sponsored the resolution, while Democratic Rep. Keri Ingle is opposed.
· Senate 18: Rep. Ed Lewis voted in favor, while Rep. Greg Sharpe voted against.
· Senate 30: Rep. Melanie Stinnett voted in favor, while Rep. Betsy Fogle voted against.
House Aims for 100 Bills by Spring Break?
Word is that the House is aiming to pass 100 bills before the break on Thursday. According to the House website this morning, 69 bills have been third-read in that chamber.
· On the one hand, it’s an election year and members will be able to crow to their constituents that they got something passed through the House (even if it’s stalled in the Senate).
· On the other hand, the torrent of bills flooding the Senate side would seem to undermine the House’s relevance as a chamber. Lobbyists will focus on the Senate where the upper chamber will have their pick of various House proposals to use as vehicles.
Meet King Policy Advocates
Tracy King, a veteran of Missouri’s political landscape with more than two decades of legislative influence, is striking out on her own. She’s launching King Policy Advocates, a new government affairs and lobbying firm.
· King’s career spans from the Missouri Department of Revenue to the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, to high-level corporate policy advocacy at AT&T, experience that makes her an impact player in the Capitol.
When = Only When?
Missouri Independent’s Rudi Keller reports on yesterday’s oral argument over the Republican redistricting process. Read it here.
This appears to be the crux of the matter…
“‘When’ means ‘when’ and we think that language is quite clear,” said attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represents the plaintiffs asking the court to throw out the map…
Judge Zel Fischer: “You are asking us to conclude that ‘when’ means ‘only when,’”
“It does,” Hatfield replied…
No More Designated Spanker
The Senate perfected Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman’s 383-page bill to clean up state statutes of expired, duplicate and obsolete laws. She said on the floor that she was endeavoring to keep anything controversial out of the bill. She pointed out one provision being deleted just in case anyone had a problem with it: corporal punishment at public schools.
She commented on the language (“Spanking, when administered by certificated personnel”): I think that most of us can agree that we don’t want other people hitting our children. We certainly don’t want a designated spanker for the school district. That feels bizarre at best. So it’s striking that language. I just want to highlight that. If anybody has any heartburn about the spanking language coming out, please let me know.
· This issue pops up from time to time… 2022 AP story: Parent Khristina Harkey told The Associated Press on Friday that she is on the fence about Cassville's policy…. "There are all different types of kids," Harkey said. "Some people need a good butt-whipping. I was one of them."
Hough Amendment Derails Brattin Bill
Sen. Rick Brattin’s SB 1029 was debated yesterday. The bill would require school districts to put their financial information on their websites.
But Sen. Lincoln Hough argued that it was one more mandate without funding, asking schools to do “more with less.” He offered an amendment that the bill would only take effect if the foundation formula, transportation aid and teacher salary grant programs were fully funded. Hough’s amendment passed on a standing division squeaker 16-14, after which Brattin set the bill aside.
Labor Backs Avery
The Missouri and Kansas Laborers District Council and Laborers Local 110 made an early endorsement for Jim Avery in Senate 22. “Avery is a true warrior. He is not only a combat veteran who served our country fighting through 3 tours overseas, he is a warrior for working men and women.”
· Avery is sewing this one up.
Clark Fundraiser
Congressman Wesley Bell and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski hosted Minority Whip Katherine Clark for a fundraiser in St. Louis last evening. Why It Matters: The event brought together Democrats from all over the metro region and signaled the support of Democratic leadership for Bell, who faces a rematch with Cori Bush.
· Bell and Budzinski had been together earlier in the day for a presser about possible expansion of the Gateway Arch Park across the Mississippi River.
Polling the City Earning Tax
One reader sent me this comprehensive poll that’s apparently in the field in the City of St. Louis, concerning the city’s earnings tax which is up for renewal next month.
It tested several No messages…
· Q18: If the earnings tax fails, the fire department and police department will receive the same funding that they always do. Public safety funding would not be affected. Wasteful spending would be eliminated. When we vote NO on the earnings tax, public safety will still be fully funded.
· Q19: The city has given away six hundred and fifty million dollars of your money to wealthy real estate developers. The city plans to continue that spending with the earnings tax money. The city has lifted caps on taxpayer handouts to get even more money into the hands of the rich.
· Q20: St. Louis has been losing population and jobs for decades, and the city earnings tax is part of the problem. Businesses and workers increasingly choose to locate outside the city to avoid the tax. Because more people now work from home, the earnings tax is becoming an unreliable source of revenue that could eventually leave the city facing bankruptcy. Instead of relying on a tax that drives jobs away, St. Louis should focus on growing the economy and expanding the tax base, not doubling down on policies that push people out. We must vote NO on the earnings tax to preserve St. Louis' future.
Ethics Charges Against Martin
The New York Times reports that “the disciplinary body for lawyers in the District of Columbia has filed ethics charges against Ed Martin, a senior Justice Department official in the Trump administration, accusing him of misconduct in seeking to punish Georgetown Law School.”
· Mr. Martin is accused of breaking several ethics rules for lawyers: violating his oath of office after swearing to support the Constitution, conducting unauthorized ex parte communications with a judge and “engaging in conduct that seriously interferes with the administration of justice.”
Help Wanted
City of Columbia seeks Communications Director.The Communications Director leads strategic communication and engagement initiatives that promote transparency and meaningful collaboration with community members and stakeholders. This position provides executive leadership for the City’s communications and community engagement functions and reports directly to the City Manager.See the posting here.
New Candidate Filing
House 48 – Hope Tinker (D)
House 118 – Sarah Rachel Puckett (D)
$5K+ Contributions
MILA PAC - $6,200 from World Finance.
Common Sense Kansas City - $150,000 from Taxpayers Unlimited, Inc.
House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc - $12,950 from Real Action PAC.
Lobbyist Registrations
Chris Korsmeyer added Ameren.
John Bardgett, Chris Roepe and Braydon Pemberton added City of Town and Country, City of Ladue, and City of Ballwin.
Chris Roepe and Braydon Pemberton added City of Creve Coeur.
Ralph Bellar added TPHG Inc; and deleted Broadway Investments LLC, RED Lee's Summit East LLC, RED LSE LLC, and Adams Dairy Landing CID
Frank Plescia added CropLife America; and deleted Modern Ag Alliance.
Doug Stone added Crossroads Community Improvement District, BB North Oak Devco LLC, Hispanic EDC and Belleview Townhomes, and Tiffany Springs Logistics LLC.
David McCracken deleted The Butler Group, LLC.
Travis Couture-Lovelady terminated his registration. He had represented the NRA.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Jay Reichard, Matthew Choinka, and Dean Plocher.