Capitol Calling

Nixon announces new tuition agreement

Gov. Jay Nixon announced today that he planned to reduce funding to higher education institutions by roughly 5 percent in the 2011 fiscal year.

 

At stops today at universities in St. Louis and Springfield, Nixon announced that he would propose for the next fiscal year funding higher education institutions at 95 percent of the current 2010 fiscal year's level. In exchange for such a move, institutions would agree to a tuition freeze for the 2010-2011 school year.

 

For the current fiscal year, Nixon offered to keep funding at the same level as fiscal year 2009 in exchange for keeping tuition static. A press release from Nixon's office said that the 5.2 percent reduction works out to a decline of $42 million.

 

"By helping keep higher education affordable, we are taking bold steps to prepare the workforce that will move Missouri forward,” Nixon said in a press release.

 

The release also featured positive comments from University of Missouri system President Gary Forsee, who said that the move "strikes the best balance in a difficult and fiscally challenging time for our state."

 

The plan needs the approval of the Missouri General Assembly and the governing boards of various public higher education institutions. 

 

Nixon has announced numerous cutbacks in recent weeks in response to declining state revenues. He announced, for instance, that he would cut funding to the University of Missouri Hospital system by roughly $3 million.

Nixon taps Kansas native to lead DED

Gov. Jay Nixon announced that David Kerr will serve as the director of the Department of Economic Development.

Kerr, who formerly served as the Commerce Secretary for the state of Kansas, will be the permanent replacement for Linda Martinez. Martinez, a St. Louis attorney, resigned earlier this year.

“David Kerr has an impressive resume of success as both the leader of a state economic development agency and in the private sector as a top executive with one of the largest telecommunications companies in the country," Nixon said in a statement. “His experience will be a great asset to Missouri in the competition to attract and retain the good-paying jobs that will make the best use of our highly skilled, trained workforce.”

Nixon's press release also contained a quote from Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, adding that he is looking forward "to Director Kerr being an important part of the bipartisan effort by Gov. Nixon and the General Assembly to build a robust economic climate in Missouri."

The Missouri Senate will have to confirm Kerr's nomination.

Nixon answers questions on budget cuts

As a follow up to the previous post, here are a couple videos of Nixon answering questions about the more than $200 million his administration cut from this year's budget.

Here they are:

Here's another video:

Nixon unveils fresh cuts

My article for the St. Louis Beacon today is on Gov. Jay Nixon's announcement of more budget cuts for the current fiscal year.

You can read the story here and watch the announcement in the video below.

Take a look:

Kinder slams federal health care bill

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder stepped up criticism of the federal health care legislation today, warning that a provision forcing the state to raise Medicaid eligibility could cause a budgetary calamity.

The federal health care debate is a monstrous and constantly evolving process. But one provision that has a strong chance of being in a final bill is a requirement for states to include all adults above 133 percent of the federal poverty level in Medicaid. Missouri's current eligibility rates are much lower than that number.

Based on the bill that came out of the Senate Finance Committee earlier this month, the federal government would pick up most of the expansion's cost. But states, such as Missouri, would have to pay a percentage of the increase. 

Republicans - and some Democratic governors - have spoken out against the proposal. Kinder cited Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen's opposition in the video below:

The cost that Kinder cited seems to echo a letter from House Budget Chairman Allen Icet, R-Wildwood, and Senate Appropriations Chairman Gary Nodler, R-Joplin. That letter cited a Department of Social Services estimate that the provision would cost the state anywhere from $392 million to $454 million.

Scott Rowson, a spokesman with the Department of Social Services, said that number cited in the letter was an accurate estimate based on the provision's parameters in August. He said a new estimate taken earlier this month based off the Senate Finance Committee's bill would put the cost at about $91 million for the state.

It should be noted, however, that the parameters of the Medicaid expansion provision are not set in stone and could change. And that figure above is predicated on whether the federal government pays for the expansion indefinitely. If the feds stop paying for the expansion, then the state would be on the hook for a whole lot more money.

Also worth noting is that the change would only go into effect if Congress actually passes health care legislation, which is not necessarily a sure thing. But most people I talked to this week agree the Medicaid provision has a strong chance of making it into the final bill.

I asked Nixon about this top and also asked if the Medicaid provision made him not sign a letter expressing support for the federal health care effort. Take a look:

Bought a Bride

Since The Kansas City Star published articles regarding ethics in the Missouri House, numerous Democrats - including Gov. Jay Nixon - have called for the restoration of campaign finance limits.

It's not a terribly surprising development. The first-term chief executive has been strongly supportive about limiting campaign contributions for years. He often cites a U.S. Supreme Court case that he handled that allowed limited contributions in the Show Me State. Other Democratic lawmakers - such as House Minority Leader Paul LeVota, D-Independence, and Rep. Jason Kander, D-Kansas City - have also called for the restoration of limits.

I discussed the pros and cons of the current campaign finance system in last week's KBIA commentary. So I won't rehash those arguments here. But it's worth reiterating that the change LeVota, Kander and Nixon want have a very slim chance of passing through the legislature.

Here's why:

- A hypothetical vote could be close in the Missouri House, where several Republicans broke ranks and voted against repealing limits in 2008. The bill only passed 84-71 in 2008, a time when Republicans had a bigger majority than today. Whether that bill is ever allowed to see the light of the day is an open question, but it's not impossible.

- Any bill to reinstate limits would almost certainly falter in the Senate. For starters, the sponsor of the 2008 repeal - Sen. Charlie Shields - is now the Senate President Pro Tem. That gives him power to direct bills to committees. It's not out of the question that Shields would drop the bill into a legislative abyss. The Star's follow up story pretty much showcased this likelihood.

- But let's say a senator tries to attach campaign finance limits onto a bill. Only one Republican senator - Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles - voted against the measure in 2008.

- Three Democrats who are still senators - Senate Minority Leader Victor Callahan, D-Independence, Sen. Tim Green, D-Spanish Lake, and Sen. Ryan McKenna, D-Jefferson County - voted for repealing the limits in 2008. The two other Democrats who affirmed the current system were replaced with Republicans who would likely vote against repealing limits. One of the Democratic "no" votes - Sen. Chuck Graham, D-Columbia - was replaced last election cycle with a Republican.

The point is that legislative enactment of campaign finance limits this session is unlikely. And even if the Democrats take back the Missouri House, the likely Republican hold of the Missouri Senate makes a reenactment difficult to imagine.

If proponents of a limited system want to achieve their goal, it will most likely be through the initiative petition process.

Nixon responds to KC Star story

The Kansas City Star published big expose on former House Speaker Rod Jetton's continuing role in Missouri politics. The series also focused on the role of retired businessman Rex Sinquefield, as well as various ideas to change the way the state handles ethics regulations.

Gov. Jay Nixon addressed the article today after a press conference:

Nixon discusses layoffs at parks

Gov. Jay Nixon's administration announced employees at the state's park service will be laid off.

The move comes as the state is grappling with decreased revenues. Terry Ganey's story for the CDT cited decreased sales tax revenue as the rationale for the move.

Here's a video of Nixon talking about the lay offs:

Million Dollar Question

There were a bunch of questions asked at today's press conference regarding the E. Coli controversy. But this may be the most pertinent to the public:

Here's another video of Nixon answering questions from the press:

Nixon takes center stage over E. Coli flap

After becoming knee deep in arguably the biggest controversy of his young gubernatorial administration, Gov. Jay Nixon faced the press this morning to answer questions about the E. Coli flap at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Nixon told reporters that he was withdrawing Joe Bindbeutel's nomination to serve on the Administrative Review Commission. Bindbeutel told the Kansas City Star that he was responsible for not releasing a report showing high levels of E. Coli at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Nixon also said he would reinstate Department of Natural Resources director Mark Templeton. Nixon suspended Templeton without pay after he announced to reporters that he received false information about the closure of beaches with high levels of the bacteria.

You can watch Nixon's opening remarks here. Video of Nixon answering questions from reporters will be posted later: