By Joe Hadsall
Globe columnist
One of the points of writing this column is to show that it is very difficult to prove that money buys actual votes.
But the case of Proposition A comes close.
The measure that removes loss limits from Missouri casinos and prohibits the construction of any more casinos passed last Tuesday night with a 56.2 percent majority. It garnered 1,573,988 votes during the election.
Prop A was marketed as the “Schools First Initiative,” pushed by the Yes on A Coalition. Supporters said that the measure would give about $100 million in new funding to public schools by increasing the state tax casinos pay from 20 percent to 21 percent.
Opponents — specifically area school superintendents — argued that the measure used students and teachers to touch on voters’ soft spots.
The measure did much more for casinos than schools, they argued, and even threatened to monkey with the state’s education-funding formula.
If you take a look at the state records it would appear that the coalition paid a premium price for votes.
According to a report filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission, the coalition raised more than $15 million since December 2007 — about a million less than Governor-elect Jay Nixon raised in more than three years.
The coalition had spent about $13.9 million eight days before the election. It bought the best that money could buy: Almost two thirds of that money, about $9.2 million, went to Winner & Mandabach Campaigns, an L.A. firm that specializes in winning elections.
On its Web site — wmcampaigns.com — it claims that it has handled more ballot measure campaigns than any other firm and has a 90 percent win record. The firm was called the leading ballot measure firm in the nation by ABC, according to its Web site.
Winner & Mandabach, in 2006, managed campaigns of Rhode Island racetracks opposed to a new casino in West Warwick and for Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., to install electronic gaming machines.
The firm is compensated in reports for campaign management, but also raked in expenses for broadcast cable, Web site development and many other expenses.
The firm organized a campaign blitz for Prop A. It hired petition management groups, several full-time employees and a bevy of other consultants.
The expense reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission read like the budget of a cutting-edge business start-up venture.
Here’s the kicker about all that money: It came from casinos. Pinnacle Entertainment (which owns Lumiere Place and the President Casino in St. Louis), Ameristar Casinos and the Missouri Gaming Association are the only listed donors in about a year’s worth of campaign reports.
A measure “in support of schools” didn’t receive a dime from schools.
The Yes on A Coalition also didn’t claim a single public school district as a supporter. It boasts hundreds of teachers as supporters, but given that a Carl Junction teacher protested the use of his name as a supporter, that raises skepticism about the other teachers and the methods of how their support was obtained.
The coalition didn’t get much support from newspaper endorsements, either. None of Missouri’s major dailies supported it, and the Globe and Springfield News-Leader opposed it.
But the advertising blitz worked. The barrage of ads featuring education professionals talking about Missouri children and money for schools led a majority of voters to pass the proposition.
The reason for a $15 million investment from casinos is obvious. Globe editorial board members noted that, according to the coalition’s own campaign materials, the passage of the proposition is likely to net casinos an additional $422 million per year.
If that doesn’t define the old maxim of spending money to make money, I don’t know what does.
But the claim of more money for schools remains to be seen — especially since the Missouri Legislature has ultimate authority on spreading money to schools, not the proposition.
Campaigns and Politics
Joe Hadsall: Casinos report spending $13.9 million days before election
- Campaigns and Politics
-
-
Missouri voters endorse state Proposition C
Missouri voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a key provision of President Barack Obama’s health care law, sending a clear message of discontent to Washington and Democrats less than 100 days before the midterm elections. With about 70 percent of the vote counted late Tuesday, nearly three-quarters of voters had supported the measure.
-
Neosho voters say ‘no’ to property tax
A proposal to levy a property tax to help bail the city of Neosho out of its financial meltdown failed to muster even 40 percent approval from voters in Tuesday’s election.
-
Jasper County choose incumbents for posts
Voters in Jasper County on Tuesday tabbed the incumbents for two positions, Linda Williams as circuit clerk and John Bartosh for the Republican nomination as presiding commissioner.
-
Pittsburg voters reject sales tax increase
A proposed quarter-cent city sales tax increase in Pittsburg for street repairs was defeated Tuesday by voters, 1,243 to 1,031. The margin was 55 percent “no” votes to 45 percent “yes” votes. The totals are based on complete, but unofficial, returns from the Crawford County clerk’s office.
-
Ruestman receives GOP nod; Krueger prevails in circuit clerk bid
Republicans in Newton County on Tuesday overwhelmingly selected a state lawmaker to be their nominee for presiding county commissioner, according to complete but unofficial returns. Current state Rep. Marilyn Ruestman, of Joplin, with a total of 6,125 votes, led a field of four GOP hopefuls.
-
Bill White beats Shelly Dreyer for nomination
An intense and costly battle for the Republican nomination for Missouri’s 129th District House seat concluded Tuesday with a lopsided victory for William “Bill” White, who is seeking to fill the seat being vacated by Ron Richard.
-
Moran holds lead in tight Kansas race
Western Kansas U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran held the lead over Todd Tiahrt late Tuesday night in a contentious battle for the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat from Kansas.
-
Calloway defeats Titterington in 3rd District GOP race
Terry Calloway defeated Chad Titterington Tuesday in the Republican primary race for the 3rd District seat of the Kansas House of Representatives.
-
Former legislator leads race for Senate seat
A former legislator and sheriff from the Bolivar area had a wide lead for the Republican nomination for the Missouri Senate District 28 seat, according to incomplete returns Tuesday night. Mike Parson, 54, of Bolivar, the former state representative in House District 133, was the leader with 12,723 votes.
-
Long, Eckersley win nods in 7th district
Billy Long, a Springfield auctioneer, real estate salesman and former radio talk show host, won the Republican nomination for Congress from Missouri’s 7th District on Tuesday, while the Democratic nod went to Scott Eckersley, an attorney from Kimberling City who at one time worked for former GOP Gov. Matt Blunt.
- More Campaigns and Politics Headlines
-
Missouri voters endorse state Proposition C
No Limits for Disabled Hunters at Mich. Base
Victim Identified in Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Radioactive Bluefin Tuna Crossed the Pacific
90 Guns Seized, Dozens Arrested in Oakland
Raw Video: Hail Storm Batters Oklahoma City
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Judge's Ruling Halts Tenn. Mosque Construction
Romney in Las Vegas on Texas Primary Day
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
