US Congressman and Senate candidate Roy Blunt made a campaign stop in Neosho this afternoon. Joining him was 7th district candidate Billy Long and former Gov. Matt Blunt. 
Last week, I attended my first meeting as a board member of the Missouri Higher Education Partnership (MOHEP). During that meeting, James Moody (who is a Government Relations Consultant) talked in detail about the current budgetary issues being faced by Missouri and what to expect in the next few years. It was sobering to say the least.
Regardless of where you fall politically, more funding cuts are all but certain and the pain we felt this year (FY2011) is just the beginning until the economy turns around.
Here are some highlights from Moody’s presentation:
FY2009 – Missouri revenues fell 7.0%
FY2010 – Missouri revenues fell 9.1%
FY2011 – Missouri Revenues (thru Q1) – fell 1.8%
FY2011 Budget assumes 2% annual revenue growth
FY2012 Budget planning assumes 6% growth and major increases in capital gains receipts. Even with that, there is currently a $700 million gap to fill with only $212 million if Federal stimulus to fill it. (That equates to another $500 million in spending cuts.)
So what now? Well, without some other forms of revenues, our legislature will finally have to face a day of reckoning and actually make our spending fall within our revenue sources (assuming of course that Washington DC doesn’t offer more “help” in the form of more stimulus funds). There is a little wiggle room in the tax ceilings, but it’s unlikely you would see any increases come through the General Assembly. Throw in the limitations of the Hancock and Carnahan/Farm Bureau amendments and we’re basically stuck with cutting non-Conservation and non-MODOT spending (those two agencies are quasi-independent and excluded from these cuts.)
The impact will be felt (as already is being predicted) by education at all levels. Social programs will inevitably be hit as well. Regardless of the party, making those unpopular cuts will make for a very tough two years coming up in Jefferson City.
Just for reference, here are some tax numbers presented by Moody for what could be generated annually from various taxes (increases require voter approval:)
This week’s firing of Juan Williams by NPR solidified my decision of whether to continue supporting public radio with my private donations. (I won’t be sending a check.)
While Williams’ views may not be popular, they are very much a reality for many travelers. Here is what he said during a TV discussion with Bill O’Reilly Monday night when O’Reilly said the US was facing a Muslim dilemma:
“I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”
I, too, am guilty of the same. But that’s a reality based on the known facts that Muslim extremists are continuing to target Americans (and have already killed 3000 innocent Americans on American soil in 2001). It’s not because I (or Juan) have an issue with Muslims in general.
I read this morning that the global body in charge of allocating IP addresses will be handing out its final block early next year. After that, due to the design of the system, those addresses will be depleted. (An IPv4 address is the familiar 1.2.3.4 address used to identify websites and other destinations on the internet.) This is prompting calls to push the IPv6 protocol (which was introduced in 1995) that is more robust.
What I find interesting is that the eventuality of running out of IPv4 addresses has been known for years…just like the pending insolvency of Social Security. But no seemed to concerned until the inevitable was before us.
The good news is the IPv6 protocol is being worked on and the switch is already well underway. But it goes to show that procrastination and denial won’t stop the inevitable. So deal with it, plan, and make it smoother for everyone.
The article can be found here.
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Since the state audit of Neosho began this summer, I’ve heard a variety of “rumors” about how things are (or are not) being handled by the state auditor’s office. One that I continue to hear is that a local businessman has contributed significantly to the Montee re-election campaign as a way to have influence over the audit’s findings.
I’d first comment that state officials probably value their job and reputation a little more than a few dollars in contributions. Throw in that the Auditor is both an attorney and a CPA, it virtually rules out that such donations could be an influence. (While I don’t share Ms. Montee’s political views, I absolutely respect her professionally as well as the integrity of the office.)
But to stay with the allegation for a moment, I took a look at the state’s election tracking site tonight to see for myself who, if anyone, had contributed to the Montee re-election campaign.
After searching for any contributions to Montee of $100 or more from addresses in the 64850 zip code, I found one contribution – Raymond McClelland - $100. That’s it. One. And not to discount Raymond’s contribution, it certainly wasn’t “significant” in terms of what some allege and also wasn’t from the name being alleged.
I then searched for any contributions in the same dollar range for Montee’s opponent Tom Schweich. I found two contributions – Richard Davidson (that’s me) - $250 and Rudy Farber - $2500. (I will say I was the only one who gave BEFORE the election believing he was the right guy…but that’s for another day.)
So if anything has happened, a local business man (or two) have put their money and support behind a candidate OPPOSING the current auditor, not supporting them.
I think the time has come for all of the ridiculous allegations (about me and others) to stop unless you have “proof” of something. I get so tired of hearing about the illegal activities going on in Neosho. And to those that still believe it, take it to someone empowered to check it out. Simply blirting out such comments is just irresponsible.
If you want to do your own search, here’s the link:
http://www.mec.mo.gov/EthicsWeb/CampaignFinance/CF_SearchContr.aspx
As the November elections near, many people (and papers) are starting to lock-in their votes for their favorite candidates. Today, the Joplin Globe picked current Congressman Roy Blunt over challenger Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan in the run for US Senate.
Blunt’s “depth of experience” was believed to be key to fixing problems in DC that “urgently need solutions…” according to the Globe article.
The entire article can be found here.
This is the same Joplin Globe that endorsed then-Senator (and now President) Barack Obama, a Jr. Senator from Illinois, over Senator John McCain because of his running mate Sarah Palin. McCain had been in Congress since 1982, serving as a Senator since 1986.
The Globe said then: “Obama’s ability to transcend generational, racial and partisan divisions, his thoughtful approach to weighty issues and message of bipartisanship resonate with many Americans. There are some who see him as simply a gifted speaker, but his words inspire. We believe that Obama can make those words a reality — making “change” more than just a campaign slogan, but a launching point for a brighter future for all Americans.”
Last night’s public hearing on the upcoming water improvements were a final opportunity for citizens to give their input and comments on the upcoming project.
Unfortunately, no citizens showed up (excluding city employees, the mayor, the mayor-protem and the NDN).
The good news is the project will move forward and within the next 18-24 months, the quality of Neosho’s water will improve along with the system’s overall reliability.
Despite the proposed rate increases that will be assessed to pay for the project, Neosho’s water costs will still be well below the recommended rates by the US gov’t and still less than surrounding cities including Nevada, Joplin, and Webb City. The proposed rates will not only pay for the funding of the project, but also planned maintenance and upkeep on the project – something that has been lacking with some past projects.
For those that want to push for more open government and more open communication about what happening in your city, Neosho has once again honored its commitment to do so. But I’m sorry you weren’t there to see (or hear) it.
Neosho City Manager Harlan Moore (mug shot above) spent some time behind bars today for Jerry’s Kids. I took a moment to visit him “in jail” and help pay his bond. When we left, his total was just over $400 in donations to a great cause.
Thanks to Harlan and everyone else who raised and/or donated monies to help fight this terrible disease.
Back in 2006, I wasn’t following Neosho politics at the level I follow it today. My world at that time revolved around the Neosho R-5 School district and my duties on that board. But I wasn’t totally immune for what was happening in the city. One program I do recall hearing about was when then-Governor Matt Blunt started a new initiative called “DREAM” and Neosho was selected as one of the 10 inaugural DREAM communities in the state in hopes that downtown areas that had seen declines could be revitalized.
At the time, it sounded good to me. Our downtown area had been dying for years and any program that could help stop that trend seemed like a good thing to try. But as things progressed and work began on the plan, it seemed that the DREAM was for some becoming a nightmare. So why was a program designed to “help” a community turning into a target for opposition? Well, I’m not sure, but I do believe there is some misinformation out in the community that needs to be cleared up.
The three areas I hear about the most are:
Let’s see if I can help a little.
First – Why downtown? To start, DREAM stands for Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri. DREAM’s initiatives focus on providing technical and financial assistance to help revitalize downtown areas and leveraging existing public resources to attract new private investment. Ultimately, it works to put back into use and/or increase the productivity of land and buildings in a downtown area. While I agree that there are a number of issues that Neosho has to work on (and a number of areas leading to downtown that need work), DREAM is designed for “downtown” revitalization. That’s why the focus is on downtown.
Second – We need businesses, not apartments! Well, DREAM doesn’t claim to focus just on commercial development…it’s a focus on reinvestment in any form – housing included. Any investment, residential or otherwise, is well within the scope and purpose of the DREAM plan. While some may find it best to make Neosho’s square a commercial center like it was 40-50 years ago, that’s probably not a realistic expectation. But keeping buildings from being empty and falling into disrepair does seem like a reasonable goal and DREAM does help with that goal.
Finally, why pay people to fix up buildings so they can make even more money? There is no doubt that by being a DREAM community, Neosho (and private investors) have access to various public financing programs and a number of professional services from the state to assist with reinvestment. While DREAM may help make available certain state programs (such as historical tax credits) to those that qualify, it’s important to note that the DREAM initiative does NOT provide cash awards to those who do the development. Investors downtown must still provide the private funds to pay for the reinvestment and take the risk of making that investment payoff. It’s not simply a taxpayer-funded way for business owners to get new buildings using the public’s dime. There may be incentives, but you still have to spend money to get those incentives. And a majority of those incentives require job creation and retention, or at a minimum, significant private investment. There is no free lunch.
So to me, while the DREAM initiative may not be perfect, it does seem to work in making downtown areas a more attractive place to invest/reinvest private money. With the move toward malls and shopping centers, we’re never going to have the retail environment that once filled Neosho’s square. But we can, with these type of efforts, reinvent and restore areas that have been left vacant and make those building productive once again. That’s why DREAM came about. You only have to look around the square to see than monies ARE being reinvested and buildings are being refurbished and being made productive again. (And those same buildings are back on the tax roles at a much higher value.)
Today, there are 35 dream communities around the state who are benefiting from the program. In SW Missouri, they include Neosho, Aurora, Webb City and Lamar. It may not be perfect and some may disagree with the plan, but at least for Neosho, it does appear to be doing what it was intended to do.
