Here’s a video I shot a few weeks ago of Gov. Jay Nixon answering a question about a proposal that would raise sales taxes around the St. Louis region to pay for, among other things, enhancements to the St. Louis Arch grounds.
Finally, here’s video of Nixon answering questions about potentially eliminating the presidential primary. That topic was touched on more in-depth in this St. Louis Beacon article.
The next video features Nixon responding to questions about whether his trip to China will be hampered by a lack of legislative success in the special session. I also asked him about ads his campaign ran in 2008 where he criticized then-U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof on China.
Been a busy few weeks for me, but I managed to upload a few videos to the Interwebs.
The first video is from a stop Gov. Jay Nixon made this week in Millersburg. The above video features the governor commenting on the demise of the special session.
The second video features Tilley talking about why he included changes to the Land Assemblage Tax Credit, a program utilized by developer Paul McKee in hopes of rehabbing parts of the north St. Louis.
One of the questions I’ve been asking Missouri’s political leaders is whether inaction on China Hub incentives will cause the opportunity to go to other states.
The above video features answers to that question from House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, and Gov. Jay Nixon. Click on the video to see more.
A lawsuit was filed yesterday against a redistricted map passed over Gov. Jay Nixon’s objection. You can read more in this story from the St. Louis Beacon.
Click on the above video to see Nixon’s reaction.
Finally, here’s a compilation video I made on Tuesday of various reactions to changes made in wide-ranging economic development legislation. Those changes included taking out a $300 million portion of a plan aimed at luring a “China Hub” to Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
Some lawmakers say other elements of the bill - such a program called Compete Missouri - can accomplish that goal. Others - like House Speaker Steve Tilley, R-Perryville - don’t approve of the idea because it provides too much power to the Department of Economic Development.
Gov. Jay Nixon spent the afternoon in Florissant to cut the ribbon a new facility at St. Louis Community College. After the ceremony, Nixon answered some questions about a burgeoning controversy over withholding money for disaster relief. It’s a move that sparked a lawsuit from Republican State Auditor Tom Schweich.
The above video features Nixon responding to questions from reporters from St. Louis Public Radio and KMOX. Click on the video to watch.
Gov. Jay Nixon wants the legislature to alter statutes pertaining to electronic communication between teachers and students.
The provision was included in a bill known as the “Amy Hestir Student Protection Act,” which was aimed at curtailing sexual misconduct against students. The provision in question garnered controversy after questions arose how it would affect teachers’ ability to use social networking to communicate with students.
That aspect of the law prompted lawsuits, including one that today resulted in an injunction. Now, Nixon is adding changes to the communication provisions to a September special session.
“First and foremost, our top concern and priority is and always will be protecting children across Missouri, and making sure students receive the quality education they need and deserve,” Nixon said in a statement. “In a digital world, we must recognize that social media can be an important tool for teaching and learning. At the same time, we must be vigilant about threats posed to students through the Internet and other means. Because of confusion and concern among educators, students and families over this specific provision of Senate Bill 54, I will ask the General Assembly to repeal that particular section, while preserving other vital protections included in the bill. In addition, I will be asking for input on this issue from teachers, parents and other stakeholders.”
Nixon added: “Although this legislation included a number of vital provisions, it’s clear this one particular section is causing substantial confusion and concern among teachers, students and families. For that reason, it’s important that we repeal this specific language during the upcoming special session, while we continue to work together to ensure the safety and protection of Missouri’s children.”
Backers of the legislation had expressed a desire to tackle the issue at next month’s special session.
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. Kinder - who was long thought to be the Republican standard-bearer for governor next year - has had to answer allegations from St. Louis bartender Tammy Chapman. In an article published in the Riverfront Times, Chapman among other things accused Kinder of being aggressive with her when she was a stripper at a Sauget club in the 1990s. She also said that Kinder asked her to move into a condo paid for with campaign dollars when the ran into each other earlier this year at a St. Louis City bar. In a round of media interviews last week, Kinder denied some of Chapman’s allegations. He did say that he visited the strip clubs east of the Mississippi River numerous times in the 1990s. In any case, the controversy has caused at least one major donor to pull support from Kinder. And it’s caused national publications such as Hotline On Call and the Washington Post to question whether Kinder has any chance to become governor. Here’s a snippet from a Washington Post blog post: Yet [Kinder] has survived — for now — in part because of a strong Democratic governor and a weak field of other potential candidates. (Kinder has yet to formally announce his campaign but is expected to do so in September.) Some Republicans are saying that Kinder will have to drop his ambitions sooner or later. A major donor withdrew his support last week; a Springfield GOP committeeman emailed local Republicans saying the party needed to find a new candidate. But the state party is standing behind Kinder, and no primary challengers have emerged. Missouri Republicans pushed back forcefully on a Politico report that suggested GOP support for Kinder was faltering.
