The Missouri Times - February 5, 2018 by Missouri Times

The Missouri Times

FEBRUARY 5, 2018

KEHOE, LEGISLATORS HONORED

AT ANNIVERSARY PARTY

PAGE 5

APPOINTMENTS FILLIBUSTERED

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Missouri Times

OPINION

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Tax relief, now rate relief By Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak

Republicans should be proud that for the first time in decades, major federal tax relief legislation has been signed into law. These fights are never easy, because the forces that protect the status quo, including many in the media, don’t go down without a fight. The next sacred cow that conservatives should take on is energy legislation right here in Missouri. For years inaction has caused Missouri families and businesses to pay way too much for electricity. While Missouri legislators have not passed energy policy legislation, our state’s regulated utilities have not been able to make all of the needed improvements to modernize and protect our energy grid against prolonged outages and cyber-attacks. As a result, the 100-year-old regulations that govern our utilities have driven electricity rates up four times faster than the national average over the past decade; more than all but three other states. Thankfully, conservative relief is on the way. Republicans in the Missouri Senate and House have proposed legislation that would cap the average annual rate hike at 3%, and would fine utility companies millions if they raised rates above this cap. This would cut the average rate increase that we’ve experienced over the last ten years nearly in half.

At the same time, the legislation would allow for regulated utilities to make crucial investments to modernize our electricity grid, under the strict supervision of the Missouri Public Service Commission. Just last month, the Atlanta airport was paralyzed by a power outage, causing disruption and delays to travel across the country. Whether outages are caused by aging infrastructure or foreign or domestic enemies eyeing our grid, we must strengthen and modernize our grid. This includes being vigilant against physical and cyber-attacks that threaten public safety. If 2018 energy policy legislation is passed into law, Missouri energy customers could get better service, and cut rate increases roughly in half of what they’ve been over the past decade. This is the exact type of innovative, conservative thinking that we need to see more of. I appreciate that business groups like the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Grocers Association and Missouri Retailers Association have endorsed capping rates. Every year we wait to pass this legislation in Missouri, we lose what has historically been an economic advantage in our state — low energy costs. And that threatens our businesses and hurts our families. With our taxes now cut, next let’s bring energy rate relief to Missourians and protect our community.

Free to Offer a Second Chance Proposed Legislation Repeals Bans on Felons Selling Lotto Tickets, Alcohol By Jennifer Bukowsky Felons are forbidden from selling lottery tickets in Missouri – by both statute and regulation. And felons are prohibited from participating in the sale of alcohol by Missouri’s regulations, too. Thus, employers at gas stations, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, grocery stores and more often do not have the freedom to give a felon a chance. Yet. But soon the people who sign the paychecks may be free from that red tape. Pending legislation would get rid of the bans on felons selling lottery tickets and alcohol in Missouri. It has bipartisan support from members of both the House and Senate. Senators Caleb Rowden and Kiki Curls are carrying the legislation (SB900) in the Senate. Representative Cheri Toalson Reisch (R, Hallsville) filed an identical bill in the House (HB2123). It is co-sponsored by Representatives Sara Walsh (R, Ashland); Chuck Bayse (R, Rocheport); Shamed Dogan (R, Ballwin); Bruce Franks, Jr. (D, St. Louis); and Robert Cornejo (R, St. Peters). Right now, the job opportunities for felons in Missouri are generally limited to construction and fast food. This legislation would immediately and materially expand the job openings for which these individuals may apply. It will also boost the applicant pool and give employers more freedom to choose the best person to hire. Finally, it would end the ban on business-owning felons from becoming licensed to sell lotto tickets. If the proposed legislation passes, there will be more employer freedom and more opportunities for everyone in Missouri. Expunging the Need for Expungements This legislation further confronts an important

question at issue when the expungement bill was first introduced a few years ago: When should a criminal defendant’s punishment end? Is prolonging it worth the cost to be borne by taxpayers? A person is punished long after the sentence is completed because of collateral consequences. Collateral consequences are legal and regulatory sanctions and restrictions that limit or prohibit people with criminal records from accessing employment, occupational licensing, housing, voting, education, serving on juries, holding elected office, and other opportunities. According to the National Inventory of the Collateral Consequences of Conviction there are 2,102 different sections of laws/regulations that impose collateral consequences upon those with applicable criminal records in Missouri. Of those, 906 are scattered throughout the State of Missouri’s statutes and regulations in separate sections. This doesn’t include the innumerable sections of ordinances/ codes imposed by local governments in Missouri. These collateral consequences have accrued over time in a haphazard manner. While some of them make sense, many of them do way more harm than good. The idea of assessing them is a daunting one. We should start with getting rid of the bans on felons selling lottery tickets and alcohol because that is what’ll give us the biggest bang for our buck. MO Freedom + MO Opportunity = MO $$. This bill would cost $0 to pass now and would have a big net benefit — both from increased tax revenues and decreased spending on social services — incarceration and more. Getting rid of these unnecessary bans on felons selling lottery tickets and alcohol will help real people in Missouri right away. Please pass this legislation, #MOLeg. If you agree, please tweet/tag/email/call your legislators and tell them you support SB900 and HB2123.

The Missouri Times

TWEETS PHOTO OF THE WEEK OF THE WEEK

Kevin Corlew @KevinCorlew Great to hear the Honorable Kit Bond at the @ MissouriTimes event. What a legacy of statesmanship! His message tonight: great things can get done with bipartisanship. #moleg @KitBondMO

Highlights in 280 characters or less. Bryan Lowry @BryanLowry3 The top-read stories on @KCStar’s site right now either have to do with Alex Smith or Josh Hawley. http:// www.kansascity.com/news/local/ news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/ article197603534.html #moleg

Scott Charton @ScottCharton Looks like #Greitens staff has deleted @confide from phones - but not the governor. Transparency starts at the top. Let The Sun Shine. #mogov #moleg

Brittany Ruess @brittanyruess Checking out the latest @MissouriTimes Magazine and I flip to pages 28 and 29 to find @MissouriOA’s @RyanBurnsPR! I love the lead, especially the description of Ryan as a “hard worker, reliable and efficient.” That’s definitely her! #JCMO

HOT LIST

MIKE KEHOE

Missouri Times readers were right about Sen. Mike Kehoe being the Statesman of the Year and waves of praise for the Senator rushed in on Wednesday.

GEORGE SOROS

Love him or hate him, his money is in Missouri for 2018.

TAX REFORM

Can’t wait to learn more!

CHARTER SCHOOLS A packed three-hour hearing saw slews of witnesses with insight from every angle. Rep. Roeber’s bill is one to watch.

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SUNDAY MORNINGS KANSAS CITY - 38 THE SPOT AT 10:00 A.M. ST. LOUIS - ABC 30 KDNL AT 11:00 A.M. SPRINGFIELD - MCN 22 AT 11:00 A.M. MID-MISSOURI - MCN 22 AT 11:00 A.M.

STREAM ONLINE AT TWMP.TV

The Missouri Times

Senate filibusters the withdrawing of Greitens’ appointees Nasheed, Schaaf, and Romine lead efforts to deny the return of MHDC appointments “Oh, what a tangled web we weave…when first we practice to deceive.” -Walter Scott, Marmion Those were the words that stood out in the mind of Sen. Bob Dixon when discussing the matter of what should be done with Governor Eric Greitens’ withdrawn appointments on Wednesday evening. Following the news that the Governor had withdrawn three of his appointments, Craig Porter, Alan T. Simpson, and John P. Scariot, to the Missouri Housing Development Commission, members of the Senate rose with concern. Those three men had been named to the MHDC shortly before the Governor led a vote to end the issuance of low-income housing tax credits. Five names were sent to the Senate to be withdrawn, but Sen. Jamilah Nasheed motioned to separate the three from the other two and send back the other two. What to do with Porter, Simpson, and Scariot became the central issue of the night, with the senators airing their grievances against the Governor and his tactics in appointing nominees. The debate centered around whether to send the names back to Greitens or hold the names. If the names were sent back, Greitens would be able to appoint the nominees again as soon as the legislative session ended. However, if the Senate did not send the names back… “If you adopt her amendment, you ban these people for life,” Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard said. “I think if the Governor decides to pull someone back, that’s their purview. There have been issues at MHDC for some time, and there’s been a lot of chatter, I would ask that people coming before Gubernatorial Appointments not be banned for life.” Sen. Rob Schaaf said that allowing the names to return to the Governor was “totally unacceptable.” “We cannot trust him. If we send these names back, he’ll do exactly what you expect,” Schaaf said. he will wait and put them right back in for seven months. And these people are not acceptable.” One of the arguments making the case to return the names was that “it’s hard to find peo-

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Kehoe, Best of the Legislature 2017 honored at anniversary party

A crowd of more than 400 filled The Millbottom Tuesday evening in Jefferson City to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the founding of the Missouri Times, honoring Statesman of the Year Senator Mike Kehoe. It was a night of good food and good alcohol to honor the outstanding people who work hard for Missourians — and here at the Missouri Times, we were honored by the amazing turnout. State Treasurer Eric Schmitt, Lieutenant Governor Mike Parson, Speaker of the House Todd Richardson, Speaker Pro Tem Elijah Haahr, former Gov. Bob Holden and Senator Kit Bond were on hand to help celebrate the night. “We asked our readers who was deserving as a true Missouri Statesman,” Scott Faughn said. “Someone who has a true leader, a lawmaker who works on real issues that affect real people, who works for compromise and brings people together. Senator Kehoe was the overwhelming choice. It was an honor to honor him.” Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin, Bond and Holden all spoke in honor of Kehoe, recognizing his hard work and dedication. “We have to work together, across the aisle to get things done,” Bond said. “Senator Kehoe

is a true example of a leader.” Holden spoke about how important it is at this time to have statesmen leading and working on things that affect real peoples live and progress the state. “I want to thank you for this award, I’m humbled for the honor and it's always been my intention to serve the state and make it a better place,” Kehoe said. Tergin presented Kehoe with a proclamation, declaring January 30 “Mike Kehoe Day” in Jefferson City. In the “short” presentation, Representatives Holly Rehder, Scott Fitzpatrick, Joe Don McGaugh, Kirk Mathews, Jay Barnes, Crystal Quade, Kevin Corlew, Marsha Haefner and Travis Fitzwater along with Senators Ryan Silvey, Brian Munzlinger, Caleb Rowden, Jamilah Nasheed, Jason Holsman, Gary Romine, Dave Schatz, and Ed Emery were honored with Best of the Legislature awards. “I want to congratulate the Missouri Times on 5 years of covering the capitol and for their important contribution to they have made to the capitol providing more news to Missourians about their government,” Parson said. Bond echoed the sentiments saying, “The

Missouri Times has become an invaluable resource for covering state government, and congratulations on their milestone anniversary.” The event had over fifteen sponsors, who event organizer and Missouri Times editor Rachael Herndon Dunn says she couldn’t have done the event without. “It’s truly humbling to see readers generously make this event possible,” Dunn said. “We were able to honor the real superstars of this publication - those constantly in the headlines and raise over $1,500 for Easterseals Midwest. I suppose we’ve set a dangerous precedent in with our first Statesman of the Year honorarium, but I know Missouri’s public servants will keep making my job one of the most enjoyable, challenging, and easy jobs in the building. I cannot thank our sponsors, readers, and event attendees enough for helping us celebrate the paper’s anniversary right.” Sponsors included Enterprise Holdings, Inc., Carpenters, SSM Health, Axiom and Clout, Tightline Strategies, Ag Xplore, Rockwood Capital, Anheuser Busch, Glazer’s, Lathrop and Gage, Husch Blackwell Strategies, Ameren, Spire, MADA, Dan Sinclair Auto Group, and First Rule Media.

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6 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Fitzpatrick shoots down Greitens’ budget proposal for tax anticipation loans by Benjamin Peters

benjamin@themissouritimes.com

The House Budget Committee’s work on the 2019 fiscal year’s budget is officially underway, having received the recommendations of Gov. Eric Greitens less than 48 hours earlier. The committee met Wednesday morning to hear testimony from the Missouri Office of Administration, including its seven divisions and 14 boards and commissions. As the Commissioner of the Office of Administration, Sarah Steelman presented the budget for OA, vowing to stay through the entire proceedings. “You’re the unlucky one, you have to go first,” Rep. David Wood told Steelman with a laugh. “We should be partners in trying to achieve good results,” she started, addressing the committee. She noted that thanks to the committee, they have been able to look at things differently, and have identified certain problems. The main item she said they’d like to address is making the IT procurement process more streamlined and reducing turnaround time. “You often hear ‘let’s run government more like a business’ and it’s almost impossible to do because the private realm is so different from the public realm,” Steelman told the committee. While fielding questions from the legislators, it became clear where the line will be drawn on at least one issue. That is the proposal of taking out a $250 million loan to pay tax returns on time. Upon receiving the Governor’s budget, the state legislature’s budget leaders issued the following statements: “I have spoken with Governor Greitens about his plans for Missouri,” Sen. Dan Brown, R-Rolla, said. “I appreciate him reaching out to the legislature as he presents his vision and his willingness to work with us. I look forward to working with him and his staff on it in the coming months as we work together to improve the lives of Missourians and set priorities for our state and its taxpayers.” “Governor Greitens and I have discussed Missouri’s budget priorities and we have both committed to working together to meet the

state’s fiscal challenges in a cooperative effort to produce a responsible budget for Missouri taxpayers,” Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob, said. However, when the issue of the “payday loan” as Rep. Kip Kendrick called it, Chairman Fitzpatrick had other thoughts. “We’re not going to do this,” he said, halting the line of questioning. “So you guys can keep asking questions, but we’re not going to do this, I don’t think.” Later, Fitzpatrick said the following in a tweet: “To be fair to them, they are asking for a revolving line of credit that would fill the gap for the 45 days they can’t use the budget reserve fund for cash flow. Not intended to be longterm debt.” Under the proposed plan, Missouri would seek approval for a $250 million short-term loan to help speed up the issuing of tax returns. “Refunds have always been a problem, it’s always been difficult because of the cash flow of the state and the timing,” Steelman said. “Generally speaking, we’ve been trying to find ways to solve this problem knowing that we have limited resources and a time constraint.” Budget director Dan Haug explained that the number of $250 million was there as more of a maximum amount, saying that they actually expected it to be closer to $140 or $150 million. He also explained that the concept was nothing new in the U.S., telling the committee that “tax anticipation notes”, as they are called, are used by other states, including “at least one other AAA-rated state.” Since Monday, Haug has reiterated that the interest paid on the proposed loan would be somewhere in the realm of one percent, and would be cost neutral when compared to the interest the state would have to pay for issuing late refunds. If enacted, it would be the first time anything like this has ever been done by the ShowMe State. After the committee recessed for session in the House, Fitzpatrick clarified that his statement meant they would not be doing the tax anticipation measure at all, saying he made the comment because there was really no point in wasting words over the proposal.

Johnson’s broadband bill aims to get rural Missouri connected by Alisha Shurr

alisha@themissouritimes.com

The effort to get rural Missouri connected to the internet is making in another push in the General Assembly. The Special Committee on Innovation and Technology heard testimony on Wednesday regarding House Bill 1872, which would set up the “Missouri Rural Broadband Development Fund.” The fund would be used to expand broadband access into rural areas through grants. Currently, 61 percent of people living in rural Missouri are without internet, according to BJ Tanksley, a representative from the Missouri Farm Bureau. He tried to qualify it to a number for the committee, “roughly one million rural Missourians don’t have access to the internet.” Doug Galloway, a representative from Centurylink, said the percentage of people truly without access to the internet is probably less than 40 percent and that some statistics on internet access factor in speed. Either way, Missouri is among the ten worst states for connectivity — ranking 42nd in the United States— according to BroadbandNow. States that rank lower include Montana, Wyoming, Mississippi, Alaska, New Mexico, Arkansas, West Virginia and Oklahoma. “Internet isn’t a right,” Rep. T.J. Berry, R-Kearney, said. He pointed out that people choose to live where they live and that people can decide to live somewhere with internet access.

“It will help rural areas retain people,” Brent Steward said. “Rural areas not gonna get new businesses out there if they don’t have access to internet. Almost all [businesses] have to have access to broadband.” Getting rural areas connected is more than just internet access. It is access to virtual schooling, telehealth, tools needed for businesses and access to a large market. “This would have a positive impact on many sectors of the economy,” said Justin Arnold, a representative with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. Several of those that spoke in support cited the need for rural areas to be connected to the internet from a business, agricultural and accessibility standpoint. “This is a good step forward,” Shannon Cooper, representing the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, said. He went on to add that many want to be connected but “there is not enough of us to make it worthwhile.” Rep. Jeanie Lauer, R-Blue Springs, questioned — not the bill or the need for it — if those in rural communities would be okay with more lines and infrastructure coming into the areas, having recalled it being an issue in the past. “Property rights will always have to be weighed,” Tanksley said. “Those things are negotiated between companies and individuals and they still would be.”

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The Missouri Times

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Evans on marriage age bill: It protects children from those who would do them harm by Alisha Shurr

alisha@themissouritimes.com

About a year and a half ago, St. Louis’ KMOV aired an investigative report about teen marriages in Missouri. Lauren Trager’s report details 15-year-old girl’s story of being brought to Kansas from Idaho by her father to marry her rapist and a 50-year-old man from Arizona marrying a 15-year-old girl he had been abusing. And it all was legal in Missouri. It just so happened that nowRep. Jean Evans saw the report and it peaked her interest. She started looking into the marriage laws in Missouri and saw an issue: the state had no minimum age for marriage. Entering into the 2017 regular session as a freshman lawmaker, Evans tried to fix that. “This was the very first bill I filed,” Evans said. The bill was approved by the Missouri House of Representatives and passed two Senate committees but never made it to the Senate floor. Now it is back again. So far, the legislation has passed the Children and Families committee unanimously and was referred to the Rules-Legislative Oversight committee. “What this bill does is basically make it illegal to get married if you are under the age of 15 or if someone is over the age of 21 and the person they want to marry is under the age of 18 that would also be illegal,” Evans said. The bill would also require minors over the age of 15 to obtain parental and judicial approval. “We are protecting children from those who would do them harm,” Evans said. After Evans originally filed the bill, she would get calls with “horror stories.” According to a Frontline, a PBS show, investigation more than 207,000 minors in America were married between 2000 and 2015. In the KMOV report that aired in July 2016, it was stated that 800 16- and 17-year-olds, and 100 15-year-olds had wed since 2012 in Missouri.

However, tracking down accurate figures is difficult because marriage licenses are not tracked by ages. “We have to recognize there are predators out there,” Evans said. “You can’t be a predator and marry a young girl.” Eighteen years old is the recognized age of adulthood in American. Which means that in an abusive marital situation, a minor can’t go to a shelter for protection. Those married as minors are three times more likely to be abused than those who marry as adults, according to The Economist, which leaves them with very limited options. Other statistics for child marriages are not favorable. The Economist cites 70 to 80 percent of child marriages end in divorce and those that marry as children are twice as likely to live in poverty and are more likely to drop out of high school. They are also a higher risk of diabetes, cancer, stroke and are more likely to suffer from mental-health problems. “We have to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves,” Evans said. She is a pro-life advocate who firmly believes in protecting the most vulnerable and that being pro-life doesn’t end. “When we find out people are bringing children here to marry their abuser, we as legislators have to look at why,” Evans said. “And then we have to fix it.” While the setting a minimum age for marriage has garnered bipartisan support there has been some objections raised. One concern was that this is taking away parental rights, to which Evans responds, “Sometimes they need to be taken away. That’s why we have a foster care system.” In the Children and Families public hearing a representative from Missouri Kids First said that “parental consent doesn’t always mean safety” and another witness said that “when parents aren’t doing the right thing, the state has to say no.”

Reiboldt's bill puts regulation of seeds, chemical fertilizers in hands of agriculture agencies by Alisha Shurr

alisha@themissouritimes.com

One representative’s bill aims to allows farmers to continue being good stewards of the land in the best way they know how. Introduced by Rep. Bill Reiboldt, HB 1614 would leave the regulation of seeds and chemical fertilizers to agencies that have expertise in agriculture. The legislation prohibits any political subdivision from adopting or enforcing any regulation relating to seeds, chemical fer-

precedented. Agriculture is one of Missouri’s largest industries, contributing $33 billion in value-added and employing 378,232 people, or 10.5 percent of Missouri’s workforce, in 2016, according to a report prepared for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Reiboldt’s bill on agricultural inputs would leave regulations to agencies that have a reservoir of knowledge on agriculture and agriculturalists. The Missouri Agribusiness Association, the Missouri Corn Growers Association, the Missouri Soybean Association and the Missouri Farm Bureau all spoke in support of the bill. Rep. Tracy McCreery was concerned over soil conditioners being included in the bill. “The idea that large amounts of manure can be used as a soil conditioner,” McCreery said, based on the definition, was concerning. Reiboldt corrected the assumption, stating, “This only deals with chemical fertilizers.” However, the concern wasn’t manure as a fertilizer, but rather a soil conditioner, given the definitions in the legislation. “I am a little concerned that this bill was written it allows manure or animal waste to be exempt,” McCreery said. There was talk of soil conditioners not being included in the final bill, however, the House Agriculture Policy Committee has taken no action on the legislation and it has not been amended at this point.

“This is a preemptive bill,” Reiboldt said. “We would rather the USDA or the Department of Ag regulate the use [of seeds and fertilizers], rather than municipalities.” tilizers and soil conditioners — though there was talk of soil conditioners being excluded in the final version of the bill. “This is a preemptive bill,” Reiboldt said. “We would rather the USDA or the Department of Ag regulate the use [of seeds and fertilizers], rather than municipalities.” Taking this step to protect farmers is not un-

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280 CHARACTERS OR LESS

STATESMAN OF THE YEAR Kevin Corlew @KevinCorlew

Well deserved. Sen. @Mikelkehoe named Statesman of the Year by @ MissouriTimes. Congrats! #MOLeg

Scott Faughn @scottfaughn Senator @Mikelkehoe speaking to the crowd at the @MissouriTimes 5th Anniversary event

Jay Nelson @Jay_Nelson2020 The Honorable Sen. @Mikelkehoe receiving the @MissouriTimes Statesman of the Year award.

The Missouri Times

MO Coalition of CBH @MO_CoalitionCBH So grateful to be in the room with Missouri statesmen and women - past and present. Congratulations to Sen. Mike Kehoe, @ MissouriTimes Statesman of the Year. Thanks @scottfaughn for inviting us, we are proud to support our hometown hero!

Carrie Tergin @CarrieTergin Happy #MikeKehoeDay! Celebrating the "Statesman of the Year" Senator @Mikelkehoe! Congratulations on behalf of the #CityofJefferson, Missouri! #JCMO @MissouriTimes

Mike Parson @MikeParsonforMO Great night at the @MissouriTimes 5th Anniversary party honoring legislative achievements. Former Senator Kit Bond and Governor Bob Holden were recognized. #MissouriProud

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10 EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Twitter bots follow Greitens by the thousands MOSTLY AVOID STATE LAWMAKERS by Alisha Shurr

alisha@themissouritimes.com

Twitter bots, or fake followers, have been catching media attention recently. And it appears that Gov. Eric Greitens’ official Twitter account has the most fake followers out of the statewide elected officials and legislative leadership. TwitterAudit, a website that audits Twitter accounts, gives Greitens a score of 67 percent, which means the 33 percent of their Twitter followers are from “fake” accounts. With Greitens, that translates into almost 25,000 fake followers. In contrast, Missouri legislative leaders scored 96 percent or higher. Indicating that very few of their followers are considered fake. Of Rep. Todd Richardson’s 4,823 followers, TwitterAudit counts 73 as fake. Sen. Ron Richard has 38 fake followers of 1,814. Most statewide elected officials have 96 percent or higher real followers — except Josh Hawley. The Attorney General of Missouri was given a score of 82 percent, with 1,228 fake followers and 5,749 real followers. The website looks at an account and rates each of that accounts followers based on number of tweets, date of the last tweet and ratio of followers to friends. Based on that rating TwitterAudit determines whether any given user is real or fake. “Of course, this scoring method is not perfect,” TwitterAudit states on their webpage, “but it is a good way to tell if someone with lots of followers is likely to have increased their follower count by inorganic, fraudulent, or dis-

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Could state workers see a raise in the next fiscal year? by Benjamin Peters

benjamin@themissouritimes.com

Could Missouri’s state workers, the lowest paid in the nation, finally see some sort of raise? The short and uncomplicated answer here is yes, they technically could. That’s because one of the recommendations in Gov. Eric Greitens’ budget calls for a onetime bonus of $650 for each state worker making $50,000 or less. In addition to the pay plan, the Governor’s recommendations also call for $61.2 million in new funding to the state’s share of employee health care benefits, as well as $14.4 million more to fully fund the contribution rate for the state’s primary employee pension system. In a Wednesday hearing of the House Budget Committee, Office of Administration Commissioner Sarah Steelman said that the proposed pay plan was estimated to affect

more than 45,000 state workers or roughly 82 percent of the workforce. The plan would cost an estimated $29.4 million, but would only go into effect “if the Missouri legislature enacts critical reforms to the state civil service system — to ensure that we can move employees to where they help the most, reward the best for superior performance, and take rapid action against those who fail our citizens and their colleagues.” One such item that officials have suggested needs reform is the Missouri Merit System. Many of the state agencies and other divisions utilize the system, which according to the state is “designed to protect employees from arbitrary actions, personal favoritism, and political coercion.” Civil service reform has been one of the topics that Greitens has long discussed, and in his first year as governor, he has led the way to change how the state does business. One such change is how employee performance is assessed. In the past, supervisors gave formal,

annual evaluations, but now they have been instructed to have less formal conversations with their employees on a monthly basis. In theory, by reforming civil service, the state could become a more flexible machine and better reward its employees for their work. But the same could be said about firing employees, too. “OA is kind of the engine of government, and we need to tune things up to run better,” Steelman told the House Budget Committee. ‘We need to have some MERIT system reform and make it more flexible and hold employees more accountable, and pay them, reward them for what is being done. Rep. Justin Alferman noted that such a proposed pay plan, contingent upon reform, might be easier said than done. “That’s going to need a statutory change, and therein lies my problem,” he said. “I tend to think that some members of this committee and the Senate are going to have problems basing numbers off of a statutory change.”

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honest means.” TwitterAudit was founded in 2012, and isn’t the only website that can be used to discover how many real vs. fake followers a person has. These tools were developed as social media grew and expanded. Social media has far outgrown just being another platform to communicate with friends and family. Now it is a marketing platform, a way for politicians and companies to get their message out into the populous. To this effect, the number of followers a person has has become more important, leading some to purchase followers. The New York Times published a story on Saturday about a company, Devumi, that has sold more than 200 million fake followers. The investigation found that it seemed the bots where using information, pictures and biographies from real users. The Times team purchased tens of thousands of fake followers, some from Devumi (25,000 at a cost of $225), to analyze. A story published on The Times Insider stated, “‘On an account-by-account basis, it can be very difficult to tell if something’s a bot,’ Mr. Dance said. ‘Some things are just weird. There are weird people.’ On the aggregate, however, certain tellingly inorganic patterns become apparent.” It is in violation go Twitter’s rules to buy followers, retweets or likes. Read The Times article online.

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ple to serve in these positions.” Sen. Gary Romine argued that the people chosen had proven themselves to be unfit, and said that the Governor had demonstrated a “pattern here that we cannot trust.” He spoke to his colleagues about a bill he has filed, SB 794, which he said would go a long way “to correct the abuses of this Governor of appointing and removing people.” That bill would change several things regarding the processes of making appointments: It would require the Governor to inform the Senate, in writing, of any appointments made while the legislature is not in session, and states that no appointee can be sworn in until that notification would be made. It also states that the Governor cannot withdraw or rescind that appointment except for charges of malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. It also makes modifications to the State Board of Education, stating that at no time will more than two members be classified as “independent.” It requires that each member of the Board be sworn in during open session, and that to establish a quorum, there must be five members who have “received the advice and consent of the Senate”, and that no official actions may be taken unless a majority of such votes therefor. It also repeals a provision authorizing the Governor to make a temporary appointment to the Board if a vacancy arises while the legislature is not in session. In the event that the Board cannot act, the State Treasurer would distribute funds and ap-

propriations to school districts as necessary. That bill is expected to be taken up next week. Romine has been a vocal opponent of the events leading to the ousting of former Commissioner Margie Vandeven, saying that he would filibuster these appointments. “Fifteen minutes of decision making cost her the job,” Romine said. The months since that act have only served to strengthen his resolve. “They should be able to make votes of their own conscience. The only recourse we have is to have consequences,” he said. “If we’re going to be the ones to make the hard decisions, he is the one responsible for putting them in this position. There’s going to be collateral damage here, and I’m sorry.” After a few hours of debate, Sen. Richard withdrew his original underlying motion and moved that the two other names be sent to the Governor. That motion passed, and he then moved that the other three be sent to the Governor. “I object,” Nasheed said. Richard’s actions basically passed what Nasheed had proposed, as Schaaf told her, but the senators continued their filibuster. “Governor, if you’re listening, send us a letter with your signature on it and your letter promising you won’t appoint these people,” Schaaf said. After more discussion, Nasheed moved that the withdrawn appointments be returned to the Governor at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, which would be the deadline. “I would ask you defeat this motion, all it does it ban these people for life,” Richard said. At roughly 8:20, more than three hours after

the filibuster began, Richard again withdrew his motion. The Senate then moved to reports from standing committees. This story will be updated online at themissouritimes.com.

BROADBAND | CONTINUED FROM 6

The bill is “nearly identical” to the program currently operating in Minnesota, according the bill sponsor, Delus Johnson, R- St. Joseph. “98 percent is identical language.” “The program [in Minnesota] has been very successful,” said Richard Telthorst, president of the Missouri Telecommunications Industry Association, who visited with his counterpart in Minnesota. “Do you want speed or coverage?” Galloway asked the committee. “Because it is difficult to do both.” He pointed out that if it was easy to get broadband into rural areas, companies would have found a way to do it by now. Though no one spoke in opposition to the bill, several testified for information purposes only and urged the committee to focus on unserved areas before the underserved areas. “Make sure that as you move forward, you focus on need,” Bill Gamble, a representative from the Missouri Small Telephone Company Group. “Don’t duplicate services that are already in existence.”

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12 EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Hawley updates Budget Committee on state’s legal expense fund, up to $415 million in potential claims by Benjamin Peters

benjamin@themissouritimes.com

Missouri’s Attorney General Josh Hawley has been working with the legislature to bring out changes regarding the state’s legal expense fund (LEF), and while presenting his office’s $35.5 million operating budget, he also addressed concerns about the funding. The legal expense fund has been the subject of much scrutiny in recent years, after it was reported that the state was paying out massive amounts in claims, including millions of dollars for Department of Corrections for harassment and discrimination settlements. And after 100 days in office, Hawley instituted a policy to post monthly reports to increase transparency. Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick, chairing the House Budget Committee, asked for an update on the state’s legal expense fund (LEF), noting that the

legislature had given some new restructuring for it in the previous year. “Are you able, in your estimation, able to

fantastically” from his point of view. “I testified last year that we were facing very significant litigation exposure against the LEF,”

“...in this past calendar year, we have had to pay out $23 million from the LEF. Of those, I think that only $150,000 are from cases where I was attorney general, so we have quite a bit of overhang from previous years.” ATTORNEY GENERAL HAWLEY settle lawsuits the way you see fit under this structure?” he asked. Hawley thanked the legislators for the system they had devised, saying it had “worked

he said. “We had over $20 million left to us by the previous administration on appeal… $20 million in judgments against the state on appeal that we thought would be hitting the LEF.

And indeed, in this past calendar year, we have had to pay out $23 million from the LEF. Of those, I think that only $150,000 are from cases where I was attorney general, so we have quite a bit of overhang from previous years.” He told the committee that the current potential claims laid out against the LEF total $415 million. “So there are about $415 million in claims pending,” he said. “And of course, my job is to go to work every day and hold that down and get rid of those and save taxpayer money. That’s what we’re doing.” Find the link to the monthly reports online at themissouritimes.com. In addition to that, Hawley also answered questions about the lawsuit against him concerning his residence. He told the committee that the lawsuit was filed against him in his role as the attorney general and that as such, the state was the ones paying for his defense.

Parson corrects reports about budget requests for a ‘personal driver’ by Benjamin Peters

benjamin@themissouritimes.com

$113 Million

Annual Infrastructure Investment Replacing water mains Lining sewer pipes Replacing meters and fire hydrants Upgrading water and wastewater treatment plants and wastewater collection equipment

WE KEEP LIFE FLOWING

Following recent reports, the Missouri Lieutenant Governor is clearing up any confusion: he is not asking for a personal driver in his office’s 2019 fiscal year budget request. On January 30, the Lt. Gov’s Office presented their budget before the House Budget Committee, asking for an additional $50,000 to their budget. That led to reports from several media outlets stating that he wanted a driver, which Lt. Gov. Mike Parson says is not the case. The additional budget request would be a total of $50,000, which would be split in half: $25,000 for legal fees throughout the year and $25,000 for a part-time employee. According to a news release from the Lt. Gov’s Office, the part-time employee would handle various office duties as well as assist the Lieutenant Governor in his travels. “The Office of Lieutenant Governor employs six full-time employees,” the release stated. “It

currently is the smallest staff of any statewide office. One of the goals of the Office of Lieutenant Governor is to transform the office by increasing its presence.” The office noted that in 2017 the Lt. Gov. and his staff attended more than 200 events across the state. “It is important to the Office of Lieutenant Governor to take the time to visit these communities to understand concerns and keep them informed on the issues facing Missouri,” Parson said. As for the additional $25,000 for legal fees, that would be used in the event of any legal advice or assistance being needed. During the course of the first year in office, Parson’s office needed such legal assistance in their investigation of the St. Louis Veterans Home and their ‘Buy Missouri’ program. Noting that all of the House Budget Committee proceedings are recorded and streamed live online, the Lt. Gov. said it was important that information be “accurately reported and perceived correctly.”

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THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK

1. AG Hawley takes heat for sex trafficking origin comments 2. Report to Missouri Veterans Commission details improvements to St. Louis Home after staff shakeup 3. Gov. Greitens withdraws appointments. Check website for more information. 4. Rep. Roeberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charter school bill packs hearing room 5. Missouri Times Magazine released Read on these and more online at www.missouritimes.com. Email your news to pressreleases@themissouritimes.com

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New study highlights benefits of historic tax credits by Benjamin Peters

benjamin@themissouritimes.com

A new study is making the argument for historic property tax credits as legislators in the Missouri State Capitol debate changes to the program. A study commissioned by The Missouri Alliance For Historic Preservation took a look at online property tax records for 215 addresses in six Missouri counties which have received those tax credits over the past two decades.

Chez Monet to open in Capitol Cafeteria

The counties used for the study were Boone, Buchanan, Cole, Greene, Jasper, and St. Charles. Supporters of the historic tax credits say the numbers demonstrate that the net financial benefits to local schools and government are quite significant. That’s because the property values typically increase after being rehabilitated. A perfect example of this comes from St. Charles, with the Old Post Office on South Main Street. In 2015, the total billed property tax was $6,200.88. In 2017, after developer

by Alisha Shurr

alisha@themissouritimes.com

Good news for all workers and visitors to the Missouri Capitol, the cafeteria will be shuttered no more. Chez Monet Patisserie will be moving into the vacant Capitol Cafeteria. The cafeteria has been vacant so far this session since no establishment put in a bid last fall. When the process was reopened, at least two eateries put in bids. The Jefferson City staple, owned by Joan Fairfax, will be opening in the Capitol on February 9. They will be open Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offer a “nice variety of breakfast and lunch” food. Fairfax has a long history in Jefferson City, opening a coffee and bakery shop in 1991. In 2013, she transitioned Chez Monet to Chez Monet Patisserie, where she bakes confections and caters.

Randy Schilling had restored the building, the property was billed for $28,153.53 – a 354 percent increase from the 2015 numbers. In some areas, the properties have seen their total net taxable values more than double their previous values. The six counties in question billed the 215 properties for a combined total of $1,767,313.76 in local property taxes in 2017, an average of more than $8,000 per property. Find more data and the study online at themissouritimes.com.

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Gala to raise funds to combat animal welfare issues

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Support the Missouri First-Time Homebuyer Initiative Here’s how the program works:

Most Americans still dream of owning their own home. Homeownership strengthens communities, provides stability for families and helps build financial strength. But saving enough money for a down payment and closing costs is too hard for many Missourians—especially for young people and those looking to buy their first home. Low paying jobs, the cost of living and high student loan payments are tough obstacles to overcome. Many people don’t know where to start. That’s why we need the Missouri FirstTime Homebuyer Initiative—a new idea to help prospective homebuyers save for their first home.

• Individuals could deposit up to $1,600 ($3,200 for couples) annually into a savings account to go toward a first home purchase.

We should be doing more to help first-time homebuyers— not with government handouts but by providing incentives to encourage people to save more of their own money towards the cost of a home. That’s why we need to ask our legislators to approve the Missouri First-Time Homebuyer Initiative.

• The maximum amount that can be deposited over the life of the account is $25,000; the maximum total amount in the account is limited to $50,000. • Parents or grandparents can contribute to this account as well. • An amount equal to 50% of the annual contribution may be deducted from the contributor’s taxable gross income and any gain within the account would not be subject to state income taxes. • Money from the savings account would have to be used toward the purchase or construction of a first home.

Ask Your Legislator to Support the Missouri First-Time Homebuyer Initiative (HB 1796) Today! MissouriFirstHome.com MO_FTHB_MOTimes_9.75x11.indd 1

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