MOScout Daily Update: St. Charles Exec Polling Memo - Fitz Warns on Budget Projections - Owen Named House Budget Chair and more…
Polling Memo: Eigel Leads Exec Race
Team Eigel is circulating a polling memo showing a substantial lead in the St. Charles County Executive race – and undecideds breaking for in their direction. See the memo here.
• Bill Eigel: 34%
• Steve Ehlmann: 17%
• Jason Law: 8%
“While a significant share of voters remain undecided (41%), Eigel enters the summer in a strong position and with a definitive edge over his opponents.”
The polling was conducted in early June by David Jay Wolfson. Be aware: it’s a small sample size, only 321 responses.
Fitz Sounds Budget Warning
Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick issued a brief but pointed report warning that the legislature needs to be more aggressive in controlling costs. Expenditures must be brought down to the level of ongoing revenue… The state is on track to completely run out of money in the GRF and be forced to implement emergency budget reductions – limiting options and maximizing pain for every Missourian and entity who relies on state funded services.
What It Means
Politically, 2028 feels like a long way off, but it could be a very miserable time for Governor Mike Kehoe to be running for re-election amid round after round of budget cuts.
Owen Gets Budget Gavel
On the same day Fitz dropped his party-pooper budget report, Speaker-elect Alex Riley named Rep. Bill Owen as the next House Budget Chair. The current chair, Dirk Deaton, is term-limited. Owen recently formed a PAC, White River Leadership PAC, which will become well-known among Jeff City lobbyists.
The appointment comes six months ahead of the start of the next legislative session – perhaps to give Owen a chance to get ahead of tough situation he’s inheriting.
· Owen spent decades in the banking industry.
And
The most recent Daily Revenue Report shows state tax revenue running $292 million below last year’s total, down 2.3%, slightly worse than the consensus revenue estimate. There are about three weeks left in the fiscal year.
eMailbag: on A-F Grades
States use all kinds of systems to rate their schools. Missouri has been a leader in that effort for more than 3 decades with the MSIP program… In recent years there has been a move away from A-F systems. Ohio, Indiana, Utah, and Michigan have all moved away from A-F systems… The idea that a letter grade is too simplistic comes up over and over again. What often happens is that the letter given by the state doesn't align with parent perceptions of a school.
Help Wanted
St. Louis City seeks Commissioner of Towing. Operations Management: Directing all aspects of the impound facility, which has a capacity for approximately 1000 vehicles and includes approximately 1000 tows per month, and overseeing the weekly public auction of eligible vehicles… Salary: $68,796 - $107,848.
Lobbyist Registrations
Regina Lazarus added People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Christopher Schoeman and Cassandra Allana Henderson deleted Bridging Families to Communities and Beyond/Saint Louis YouthBuild.
Dena Ladd deleted Missourians for Fair Business Practices.
$5K+ Contributions
Rocker P Brand PAC (pro-Pollitt) - $20,000 from MO Soybean Assoc.
Bootheel Values PAC (pro-Burger) - $10,000 from J&J Ventures Gaming of Missouri LLC (Effingham, IL).
Conservative Justice for Missouri PAC (pro-Hanaway) - $10,000 from Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits of Missouri (Miami, FL).
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Steve Tilley, Gretchen Bangert, Darrell Curls and Chuck Basye.