In a good sign for the Proposition A victim city on the eastern side of the state Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis, a committee supporting the continuation of the earnings tax which will be on the April 2011 ballot, has had a good December when it comes to fundraising:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/24/2010

Simmons Attorneys at Law

707 Berkshire Blvd.

East Alton, IL 62024

12/24/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/22/2010

M. Peter Fischer

9806 Litzsinger Road

St. Louis, MO 63124

retired attorney

12/22/2010

$10,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/21/2010

Burns & McDonnell

425 S. Woods Mill Road

Suite 300

Chesterfield, Missouri 63017

12/20/2010

$5,000.00

[emphasis added]

December 20th was an especially good day:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/21/2010

St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth

Association

One Metropolitan Square, Suite 1300

St. Louis, MO 63102

12/20/2010

$15,000.00

Nestle Purina Pet Care

901 Chouteau Avenue

Saint Louis, MO 63102

12/20/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/18/2010

Ameren Missouri

PO Box 66892

St Louis, MO 63166

12/17/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/15/2010

DFC Group, Inc.

7777 Bonhomme

St. Louis, MO 63105

12/15/2010

$10,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/9/2010

Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 562 Voluntary

Political, Educational, Legislative, Charity &

Defense Fund

12385 Larimore Road

12/9/2010

$10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Ah, working people!

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/6/2010

Thompson Coburn LLP

One US Bank Plaza

St Louis, MO 63101 12/6/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 12/2/2010

Downtown St Louis Partnership, Inc.

906 Olive Street, Suite 200

St Louis, MO 63101 12/2/2010

$15,000.00

[emphasis added]

That would be $165,000.00 if anyone is counting. A far cry from $11,218,000.00, but it’s a start.

Previously: Finally (December 14, 2010)

The committee which was formed to support the continuation of the earnings tax for Kansas City which will be voted on in the April 2011 election received two more large contributions.

This past week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

A101430 12/17/2010 SAVE KANSAS CITY COMMITTEE Industry Advancement Fund Heavy Constructors 3101 Broadway, Suite 780 Kansas City, MO. 64111 12/17/2010 $100,000.00

A101430 12/17/2010 SAVE KANSAS CITY COMMITTEE Kansas City Power & Light Co P.O. Box 418679 Kansas City, Mo 64131 12/17/2010 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

And even more previous coverage:

HB 26: an attempt to fix some of the mess of Proposition A (December 3, 2010)

Where’s Kansas City on fundraising for the 2011 earnings tax vote? (November 27, 2010)

St. Louis leads the fundraising way on the April 2011 earnings tax vote (November 16, 2010)

Any bets that the Royals follow through for Kansas City? (November 13, 2010)

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

Date Established:12/13/2010

COMMITTEE: MECID:A101430

SAVE KANSAS CITY COMMITTEE

The campaign to preserve the earnings tax which will be on the April ballot in Kansas City has started raising money:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101430 SAVE KANSAS CITY COMMITTEE [pdf] 12/13/2010

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerece

2600 Commerece Tower

911 Main Street

KCMO 64105

12/13/2010

$50,000.00

Civic Council

1200 Main # 230

KCMO 64105

12/13/2010

$50,000.00

Burns & McDonnell

9400 Ward Parkway

KCMO 64114

12/13/2010

$50,000.00

DST Systems INC

333 W 11th street

KCMO 64105

12/13/2010

$50,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s a good start.

It’s probably a little more than irritating for them that a billionaire is making them spend some serious cash.

Previously:

HB 26: an attempt to fix some of the mess of Proposition A (December 3, 2010)

Where’s Kansas City on fundraising for the 2011 earnings tax vote? (November 27, 2010)

St. Louis leads the fundraising way on the April 2011 earnings tax vote (November 16, 2010)

Any bets that the Royals follow through for Kansas City? (November 13, 2010)

The short answer? Nowhere.

Posted on Sun, Nov. 21, 2010 10:15 PM

The Star’s editorial | KC lags St. Louis on earnings-tax battle

….Twenty days later, Kansas City has no campaign committee, no stockpile of funds and no collaborative bid in place to explain to voters all of the good reasons to renew the tax….

Meanwhile, in St. Louis at Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis:

Loss of Earnings Tax Would Be Catastrophic for St. Louis

Without the revenue from the earnings tax, the city would be forced to make massive cuts to public safety services, including to fire and police services.

These cuts would lead to a lost of businesses and population, which in turn would cost the City tens of millions of dollars more in revenue.

A 10% drop in the City’s businesses and population alone would cost St. Louis $31 million. Combined with the lost earnings tax, the City would lose 47% of its current general fund budget.

The results of losing 47% of the City’s discretionary funding “would be so disastrous that they would result in the City’s ruin.”

More than 2,000 jobs in the City would be lost. Source: State Auditor’s Fiscal Note [pdf]

This past week at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 11/24/2010

Husch Blackwell

190 Carondelet Plaza

St. Louis, MO 63105

11/23/2010

$10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Previously:

St. Louis leads the fundraising way on the April 2011 earnings tax vote (November 16, 2010)

Any bets that the Royals follow through for Kansas City? (November 13, 2010)

Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis was organized as a committee on November 2nd to support the earnings tax continuation in the city of St. Louis for the election to be held on April 5, 2011.

Today and yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 11/16/2010

Iron Workers Political Education Fund

1750 New York Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20006

11/16/2010

$20,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 11/15/2010

Emerson Electric Co

800 W Florissant Avenue

St Louis, MO 63136

11/15/2010

$25,000.00

Lawrence Group, Inc.

319 N. 4th Street

St. Louis, MO 63102

11/15/2010

$5,000.00

Peabody Investment

701 Market Street

St. Louis, MO 63101

11/15/2010

$25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Kansas City? Anyone, anyone?

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

A101422 CITIZENS FOR A STRONGER ST LOUIS [pdf] 11/12/2010

St. Louis Cardinals, LLC

700 Clark Street

St Louis, MO 63102

11/12/2010

$15,000.00

[emphasis added]

Citizens for a Stronger St. Louis was organized as a committee [pdf] on November 2nd to support the earnings tax continuation in the city of St. Louis for the election to be held on April 5, 2011.

Voters in St. Louis and Kansas City can thank Rex Sinquefield and his millions for that opportunity.

Ten million dollars buys a lot of slick paper.

Oh, look, happy yuppies who won’t ever have to worry about driving into St. Louis or Kansas City when there are no public services because all the shopping, cultural, sporting, and governmental venues will be shut down anyway! Awesome!

Uh, try, let the person with the fattest checkbook decide.

Let’s have a little logic lesson. The mail piece states:

…Yes on A lets voters decide if they want to prohibit new local earnings taxes in their cities and towns.

Under existing state law, new local earnings taxes could be imposed in other Missouri cities and towns. A Yes vote on Prop A prohibits the politicians from imposing any new local earnings taxes on working people and businesses in Missouri…

Uh, what’s a politician? Does this mean that unelected people in politics, you know, people running for office but not yet elected get to decide? Just asking. Or, is that elected officials who were, you know, elected by the voters in their jurisdiction? Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?

“…Yes on A lets voters decide if they want to prohibit new local earnings taxes in their cities and towns…”

Bullshit. This initiative lets other voters across the state decide what cities and towns across the state can do when it comes to an earnings tax. There is a difference.

These folks think Missouri voters are stoopid. And if we let them get away with this we are.

Previously:

Let me count the ways Proposition A sucks. (October 13, 2010)

Campaign Finance: United for Missouri’s Priorities – opposing the billionaire on Proposition A (October 7, 2010)

What ten million dollars gets you (October 5, 2010)

The definition of obscenity (October 1, 2010)

Let’s tell you ’bout their best friends (June 23, 2010)

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (r): the base reaches out and opens up their wallets (June 22, 2010)

Even more millions here and even more millions there… (June 21, 2010)

A million here and a million there… (June 4, 2010)

There’s been a bit more campaign finance news about Proposition A – the ballot initiative battle over earnings taxes in Kansas City and St. Louis.

From the United for Missouri’s Priorities web site:

The Facts About The Statewide Ballot Initiative To Repeal The Earnings Tax

This Initiative Will Hurt Missouri

Missouri’s best is still ahead of us, but we’ll never get there if we don’t have safe neighborhoods, good schools, stable jobs, and basic services. This initiative will force hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts to the budgets of Missouri’s two largest cities with no plan to replace funding. This will devastate their ability to provide basic services and will make those communities less safe and less livable and will make our state a far less desirable place for families to move and businesses to locate and bring jobs…

The billionaire and two other folks who want to eliminate the earnings taxes have a head start:

What ten million dollars gets you (October 5, 2010)

Their opponents, who want folks to defeat Proposition A and preserve the financial well-being of Missouri’s two largest cities, have raised some money in the last day or so, as reported at the Missouri Ethics Commission::

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C101545 UNITED FOR MISSOURI’S PRIORITIES [pdf] 10/7/2010

National Education Association

Washington DC

10/6/2010

$200,000.00

Missouri Federation of Teachers

SRP Solidarity Fund

Jefferson City MO

10/7/2010

$55,000.00

[emphasis added]

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C101545 UNITED FOR MISSOURI’S PRIORITIES [pdf] 10/7/2010

Ballot Initiative Group of Missouri Inc

St Louis MO

10/7/2010

$10,000.00

Change To Win

St Louis MO

10/7/2010

$15,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s chump change when compared to over ten million dollars from one person. Or, plutocracy, whichever you prefer.

And, the national corporation advertising mascot of compact low voltage energy source storage devices leporidae check writer for right wingnut causes (apparently, with a short attention span, too) keeps on giving:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C101046 MISSOURI CLUB FOR GROWTH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE 10/7/2010

Rex Sinquefield

Westphalia, MO

Self-Employed

10/6/2010

$125,000.00

[emphasis added]

Heh. Plutocracy, indeed.

Let’s tell you ’bout their best friends (June 23, 2010)

…Six degrees of republican interest groups? With friends like that, who needs to go door to door?

Again, the entity promoting the repeal of earnings taxes in Kansas City and St. Louis got another massive economic boost from their supporter.

What is this, some kind of welfare program for the right wingnut initiative industrial complex? Just asking.

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C101013 LET VOTERS DECIDE [pdf] 10/1/2010

Rex Sinquefield

Westphalia, MO

Retired

9/30/2010

$3,900,000.0[0]

Travis H. Brown

St. Louis, MO

Self-Employed

9/30/2010

$5,001.00

That’s no typo. That’s three million, nine hundred thousand dollars. Funny, it appears the Missouri Ethics Commission system can’t handle that many digits.

And Travis H. Brown? There’s gotta be a connection in there somewhere:

LOBID:L000946

Lobbyist’s Name Travis Brown

Principal(s) listed by Lobbyist

PELOPIDAS, LLC

COLUMBIA MO A 7/12/2007

REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD

ST. LOUIS MO A 7/12/2007

This being right wingnut politics in Missouri there’s gotta be something about a plane in there somewhere, too. Oh, yes, there is!

And even more connections:

Campaign Finance: a sample of those $5000.00 and up 48 hour reports (September 29, 2010)

….It’s always an interesting enterprise when one peruses the information on contributions over $5000.00 which are required to be reported within forty-eight hours of receipt to the Missouri Ethics Commission:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C031160 FRIENDS OF TILLEY [pdf] 9/24/2010

REX AND JEANNE SINQUEFIELD

WESTPHALIA MO

RETIRED

9/24/2010

$100,000.00

[emphasis added]

Really, for Air Tilley?

Somehow, the line in the film Inception (2010) comes to mind:

“I bought the airline…It seemed neater.”

Let’s rephrase that…”I bought the state…it seemed easier.”

Previously:

Let’s tell you ’bout their best friends (June 23, 2010)

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (r): the base reaches out and opens up their wallets (June 22, 2010)

Even more millions here and even more millions there… (June 21, 2010)

A million here and a million there… (June 4, 2010)

…and pretty soon you’re really talkin’ serious money.

The folks promoting the repeal of earnings taxes in Kansas City and St. Louis got another huge economic boost from their supporter last week.

$2,534,000.00? Again? Via the Missouri Ethics Commission [pdf]:

MISSOURI ETHICS COMMISSION

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

MEC ID: C101013

LET VOTERS DECIDE 6/18/2010

Rex A. Sinquefield Westphalia, MO 6/16/2010 $2,534,000.00

[emphasis added]

Why $2,534,000.00? Why that amount twice? Why not just write one check for $5,068,000.00 and save the money on postage? (Okay, bad question, if you can drop that kind of cash on a right wingnuttia initiative to defund government you’re not particularly worried about the cost of postage or even a lack of public services for yourself because you don’t need to.) What’s with the $68,000.00? Is five million some kind of unlucky number? Just asking.

Previously: A million here and a million there…