Arch City Chronicle News

Loudon Scores a Couple of Wins

Dave — 2008-05-15T10:49:43-04:00

And his midwifery stuff was attached to a bill that escaped the Senate last night.

Teach for America to Place 100 Teachers in StL Next Year

Dave — 2008-05-14T18:05:03-04:00

From the Business Journal: Teach for America is placing more than 100 of its incoming 3,700 teachers in St. Louis area schools this fall, a 35 percent increase over last year, the organization announced Wednesday.

Combined with last year's members, Teach for America will have more than 170 first- and second-year teachers who will teach nearly 14,500 students in St. Louis public schools during the 2008-09 school year. Teach For America corps members commit to teach two years in high-need public schools around the country.

Teach for America said the record growth in St. Louis corps is partially due to a high percentage of applicants from top universities, including 8 percent of graduating seniors at Washington University in St. Louis.

And Now It's The Democrats

Dave — 2008-05-14T14:56:42-04:00

The Senate, apparently content that the House is moving on the village law, has moved on. Sen. LuAnn Ridgeway is seeking a vote on HB 1393 which would allow motorcyclists to choose whether to wear a helmet or not.

Sen. Joan Bray appears to itching to filibuster it, but it's unclear how much help she'll get from fellow Democrats and whether they should save their gun-powder for the more volatile immigration and voter ID bills.

Republicans Filibustering Now in the Senate

Dave — 2008-05-14T12:12:21-04:00

Although they are part of the majority party, two Republican senators have embarked on a filibuster this morning.

The mild-mannered Sen. Jack Goodman and the affable Sen. John Griesheimer are expressing their distress that House has not repealed the village law. They want the House to pass it out without amendments. They appear to have decided to filibuster House Consent bills before the Senate until they see action.

Consent bills are non-controversial bills that normally breese through the process.

Condolences to Combest

Dave — 2008-05-14T04:52:23-04:00

Our thoughts are with John Combest on news of the passing of his mother, Gloria.

Midwifery Again!

Dave — 2008-05-14T03:21:39-04:00

At 2:15am, Sen. John Loudon has returned the senate to the topic of... midwifery. He's offered a tax credit for the creation of a birthing center.

The amendment was challenged as beyond the scope of the bill, HB 2058, but was ruled within the scope.

After a brief debate, the amendment failed.

Tax Incentives

Dave — 2008-05-14T02:19:20-04:00

As we move past 1am, HB 2025 is being debated and Sen. Harry Kennedy is trying like mad to keep it clean, that is keep it from getting loaded down.

Sen. Wes Shoemyer proposed an amendment to help people buy "weather radios." Kennedy asked Shoemyer to withdraw his amendment because the fiscal note was... $6,000.

$6,000. Things sure have gotten tight around here. Shoemeyer withdrew the amendment, but it appears he may be reintroducing it later.

Then Sen. Griesheimer put forth an amendment to repeal the "village law." But it was ruled out of order.

Now Sen. Brad Lager has arisen saying he has a couple of amendments...

And Now... Midwifery Again.

Dave — 2008-05-14T01:39:44-04:00

It's 12:30 now and HB 2081 is up on the Senate floor. An amendment offered by Sen. Chuck Purgason will tack on the midwifery legalization that Sen. John Loudon has tried to pass before...

UPDATE: HB 2081 has been tabled again.

Immigration Legislation Sent to GAFO

Dave — 2008-05-14T01:25:18-04:00

At 12:15am, after hours and hours of debate, the immigration legislation was poised for a vote. But during the process of amendments it required a fiscal note sufficient to send the legislation to the committee on Government Accountability and Fiscal Oversight.

Rather than retire for the evening, the Senate is taking up other legislation. The House meanwhile called it a day somewhere around 6pm.

The was a wicked four-story game of superball in the Capitol rotunda sometime around 11pm. Right now the staffers are playing wiffleball.

Photos from Mayor's Fundraiser

Dave — 2008-05-13T23:21:38-04:00

Photos from the Mayor's re-election kick-off are up over on flickr.

Senate Takes Up Immigration Again

Dave — 2008-05-13T15:54:06-04:00

After the Rules Committee in the House rejected the Senate's earlier bill on illegal immigration, the Senate is now taking up the House immigration bills.

Democrats have been working the floor for about an hour now, but word is that the Republican may take it through the night, if need be.

It looks like a contest of endurance - and all other legislation (on the Senate side) will wait.

UPDATE: Debate continues at 9:30pm. Earlier an amendment by Rep. Tim Green was attached which some believe will effectively kill the legislation in the House.

NY Times on MO Voter ID Amendment

Dave — 2008-05-12T11:43:23-04:00

The battle over voting rights will expand this week as lawmakers in Missouri are expected to support a proposed constitutional amendment to enable election officials to require proof of citizenship from anyone registering to vote.

The System Works!

Dave — 2008-05-09T12:25:11-04:00

As I mentioned recently, my house was broken into and several objects were stolen.

Amazingly, the police found fingerprints from which they identified the perpetrator. He is now in custody and yesterday I went down to the Warrant Office where I learned he will be charged.

I hate to sound flabbergasted, but it seems, at least for me in this case, the system actually works!

Storch and Roberts

Dave — 2008-05-09T10:07:13-04:00

One of the most surprising match-ups for this August is in the 64^th District, which the central corridor bridging St. Louis City and County. It�s represented by Rep. Rachel Storch. Her challenger is Michael Roberts Jr.

This would be just another primary except that Storch is a rising star of the Democratic Party. She represents a sweet-spot district that�s both liberal and affluent. And she�s parlayed this base through her smarts and hard-work to ascend to leadership roles within the House Democratic Caucus. For example, she was assigned to some of the powerful conference committees on appropriations. She was also tapped by the Clinton campaign to lead Missouri outreach. And finally, and most importantly, she�s the chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee (HDCC).

Of the 163 state representatives that convene in Jefferson City every legislative session, probably half of them are place-holders. Nice enough folks, but lacking a bright, inner fire. They come on Monday, vote their conscience and leave on Thursday. Storch is a stand-out. She helps shape the debate and the agenda.

Her opponent, Michael Roberts Jr., is the son of mega-developer Mike Roberts, who was himself a city alderman before he entering the business world. Together with his brother Steve, he�s the heart of the Roberts Brothers. Roberts Jr. works for his father�s business, and has decided to follow his dad�s example of public service too.

Roberts� strength is that due to the fact that his family is dripping with dollars; he should have extraordinary fundraising capacity. And since they name buildings after themselves, some measure of name ID as well.

Still the consensus is that that Roberts will lose decisively to Storch.

Demographically the district is 25-30% black. In the racial calculations that control St. Louis politics, that bodes poorly for Roberts, an African American. Like many first-time candidates, he�s an unsteady public speaker. A recent visit to the district�s 28^th ward organization, (home of former mayor Vince Schoemehl�s yesteryear political machine), was panned as he displayed a tone-deaf vapidity, saying that he wanted to be state rep as a stepping stone to higher office.

Storch will campaign as she did in 2004. She�ll work hard, devote time door knocking and pitching her candidacy at every ward and neighborhood function, and raise plenty of money.

The problem for Democrats is that while Storch should be doing all of those things, she should be doing them across the state, in a dozen close House races, in her role as head of the HDCC.

Democrats need to win eleven seats to regain control of the House. While it�s a long shot, it is a shot. And Storch�s full attention is needed to press it into reality. One pressing situation is fundraising for the House candidates.

Last quarter the House Democratic Campaign Committee raised $160,687 and now has $236,806 on-hand. The House Republican Campaign Committee meanwhile has a whopping $905,401 in the bank.

The difference in money - $670,000 � could be very important as both sides determine their November target list. Without ample funds, Democrats may be forced to jettison some quasi-competitive races that require scarce resources.

That�s why a lot of Party elders would like Roberts to reconsider his ill-advised decision to run. That�s certainly the message on Storch�s May 20 fundraising invitation that includes Democratic Party Head John Temporiti as a host, as well as a myriad of elected officials from attorney general Jay Nixon down to Dogtown alderman Bill Waterhouse.

So far, Roberts is undeterred.

Graham, Loudon Make Peace

Dave — 2008-05-07T19:40:50-04:00

Today Sen. Chuck Graham perfected his bill to rename a highway, and Sen. John Loudon perfected his bill on midwifery. Here's the backstory.

In other news, hell freezes over.

Stouffer to Post: Thanks!

Dave — 2008-05-07T12:04:49-04:00

Sen. Bill Stouffer said on the Senate Floor today that the Post-Dispatch editorial cartoon would likely help him in his re-election this year.

He said it's saved him the trouble of designing a mailer; he can just use this cartoon.

Brown Gets Another Mayor

Dave — 2008-05-06T20:23:53-04:00

The mayor of Richmond Heights, Jim Beck, has endorsed Steve Brown for state representative in the 73rd. Brown previously announced the he had won the endorsement of Maprlewood mayor Mark Langston.

Here's the press release.

Missouri Belatedly Joins Credit Protection Efforts

Matthew — 2008-05-05T23:45:00-04:00

A bill approved by the Missouri Senate this week enshrines into law a practice that had already been voluntarily adopted by the three major credit reporting agencies.

The bill, HB 1384, would order the credit bureaus (Eperian, Trans Union and Equifax) to honor a consumer's request for a credit "freeze" in cases of believed or actual identity theft. The block would prevent any new accounts being opened in the consumer's name without their explicit authorization, usually through a multi-step "unlocking" procedure established between the agencies and the consumer.

While any efforts to help protect consumers against identity theft are to be commended, the credit bureaus all agreed to voluntarily implement such practices by November 1st of last year. Currently, 43 other states also have similar laws on the books.

Instructions for Missouri residents who want to secure their credit before the bill is signed into law can do so through the Consumer's Union website.

Individuals who have been victims of theft will have any fee waived provided they have the proper documentation of the crime. Any other individuals will pay a $10 fee.

A credit "freeze" is similar to a credit "fraud alert", however, the freeze goes further than just alerting agencies that a credit application may be fraudulent. The freeze locks a person's credit with a key only the individual has access to. Credit histories are often accessed for legitimate reasons without an individuals knowledge, this would block any access without their express permission.

It's a positive�if perfunctory�step that Missouri is taking. Identity theft is a bane of the modern economy. Wily criminals have taken short joy-rides with individuals financial persona, and have often left them with years worth of legal hassle and fiscal chaos to clean up.

From the Missouri Senate press release, "Alarmingly, two out of five victims report problems such as harassment by debt collectors, being unable to qualify for loans, having their utilities cut off, being subject to a criminal investigation or civil suit, and having difficulties accessing their bank accounts according to an FTC survey. 'New account fraud' victims were twice as likely to encounter these problems."

The dollar amount that identity theft costs this country is likely unknown, but the figure is comfortably in the billions.

Perhaps a state-wide campaign to inform Missourians as to how they can utilize the available tools to protect their financial lives should follow the signing of this bill.

Wash U Students Upset By Schlafly's Honor

Dave — 2008-05-05T14:53:27-04:00

Not the beer-maker.

Prospective KC Airline Builder Outfits Iraqi Airlines

Matthew — 2008-05-05T14:27:15-04:00

Bombardier Aerospace, the Canadian airline manufacturer the state legislature is trying to lure to the Kansas City area, has supplied jets to airlines operating in North America, Europe and Asia.

The manufacturer's planes are now headed what may be less-than friendly skies, Iraq.

Bombardier announced last month that it is selling four of its new CRJ900 NextGen airplanes to the Iraqi Government for civil air service. The Iraqi Government has options to buy 10 more.