Kinder's Main Man Barklage Gets Short-Shrift in McKee Tax Credit Stories

Submitted by Howard Beale on Tue, 06/26/2007 - 11:38am.

Virginia Young and Jake Wagman of the Post-Dispatch had an interesting story last weekend about a $100 million tax credit bill which passed the legislature this year, the benefits of which would accrue exclusively to one man, developer Paul McKee.  While the piece does well to focus on the key involvement of Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder it completely glosses over the role of longtime Kinder henchman and GOP operative David Barklage in the execution of the scheme.

The story recounts the full-court press put on by McKee --including the hiring of a full complement of Blunt-favored lobbyists-- to pass the tax credit package:

A clearer picture emerged in Jefferson City this year, when the Legislature approved a $100 million tax credit for large-scale developments in impoverished areas. McKee spurred Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder to champion the bill, hired several lobbyists to push it and gave thousands of dollars — and use of a corporate plane — to politicians who helped pass it.

The story goes on to detail further the intense involvement of Peter Kinder in the construction and advancement of the tax credit legislation:

Kinder, the lieutenant governor, contends that the tax credit would generate 10 times its cost in new development. He denied that it favored McKee but acknowledged that McKee might have a head-start.

"If someone has been out there, assembling tracts for a while, that person is in a decent position to access the credits," Kinder said.

Kinder said the idea of helping cover land costs was inspired by NorthPark, a 550-acre business park that McKee helped build in north St. Louis County near Lambert Field. The federal government acquired the property as part of a Lambert Field airport-noise buyout plan.

"I want many NorthParks," Kinder said.

Kinder sought McKee's opinion before drafting the bill. "I took it to Paul," Kinder said. "He ran it by his lawyers. We got busy and came up with a legislative proposal."
While Young and Wagman appropriately hone in on McKee's hiring of several lobbyists, most notably Blunt allies James Harris and Jewell Patek, to push the tax credit legislation they miss another key cog.  In April of 2007 --presumably on the orders of Kinder, who was in the midst of carrying McKee's tax credit boondoggle through contentious debate on its legislative vehicle in the assembly-- one of McKee's outfits, NorthPark Partners, hired Kinder adviser David Barklage as lobbyist. 

­­Along with other firms like Paric Corp and McEagle Properties residing at the same O'Fallon address, NorthPark Partners is one of the tentacles of the Paul McKee development empire.  NorthPark is the same outfit that, according to Peter Kinder, inspired the tax credit legislation in question.  I wonder if Kinder would have publicly considered NorthPark as great an 'inspiration' if the firm­ hadn't hired his buddy Barklage?

If nothing else, the Young and Wagman piece combines with the new fact of Barklage's involvement in the McKee tax credit giveaway to serve as yet another reminder of the way business gets done under the new regime.  Deep-pocketed interests who want to profit from state government not only have to contribute generously to the campaigns of the officials who do their bidding but also have to hire the consultant/lobbyist friends and advisors who feed into the political operations of those officials. 

In every way, shape and form, the Blunt-Kinder regime have bastardized the gears of government to serve as a machine for the perpetuation of Republican power.  This episode is no different.

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