A top Missouri lawmaker expects Jackson County residents to vote again on a stadium tax for the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals after meeting on Monday with management of both teams.
House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, told The Star that while he expects another vote to occur, it’s unclear whether it will include both teams or when the vote will happen.
“I do think before all this is said and done, Jackson County is going to have another vote,” said Patterson, the presumptive next House speaker.
The interview came after a string of meetings between legislative leaders and representatives from the Chiefs and Royals as Missouri officials weigh how best to respond to Kansas, which recently passed a plan to lure the teams across state lines. Under the Kansas plan, state officials would issue potentially billions in bonds to largely finance new stadiums for one or both teams
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Monday also met with local leaders, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr., regarding the future of the teams. Speaking with reporters, Parson expressed confidence that Missouri could develop an attractive package for the teams over the next few months.
While Patterson appeared confident about an upcoming Jackson County vote, any proposal would need approval from the Jackson County Legislature.
Patterson and Senate Majority Leader Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, first met with John Sherman, the majority owner of the Royals, and Brooks Sherman, the Royals’ president of business operations. They then met with Mark Donovan, the Chiefs’ president.
In addition to the potential Jackson County vote, Patterson said he also expects some form of legislative action from Missouri lawmakers to try to keep the teams. Negotiations over any legislative proposal would likely come after the August primaries, he said.
“One of the things that was very clear is that both teams really do want to stay in Missouri,” he said. “And the other thing that we talked about was that before anything can happen…we have to get the political events taken care of first, meaning the primaries. And then I think what you’ll see is the state being much more involved in this whole process.”
Patterson’s focus on the August primaries comes as many legislative seats are going to be on the ballot this year. It also comes as the state Senate has been gripped by infighting among Republicans that could torpedo any plan to use state funds to keep the teams.
“There’s so much uncertainty with all of the statewide offices and the state Senate,” he said. “So once we know who’s in those positions, I think we’ll have a much clearer picture of what we can accomplish.”
O’Laughlin reiterated in a text message to The Star that “both teams want to stay in Missouri and we want them to also.”
“We agreed to continue meeting and talking and look for that path,” she said.
Kansas’ push to attract the teams comes after Jackson County voters in April rejected a stadium tax in April that would have effectively guaranteed the teams would stay in Missouri after their 25-year leases expire in January 2031.
Patterson said on Monday that he’s confident a future vote would be different.
“I think now with the Kansas option staring us, staring us right in the face, I think that changed the dynamic, and it would be a different vote next time around,” he said.
Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca, who has filed proposals to put another stadium tax to a vote, said in an interview that it “would be great” if Patterson came out in support of a new ballot measure.
However, Abarca said there are several hurdles to getting any proposal through the Jackson County Legislature. He added that he’s only filed measures related to a Chiefs stadium tax and that the Royals haven’t given him any indication they’d be open to a similar proposal.
Patterson said there weren’t any specific plans proposed during his meetings with the two teams and neither team laid out their requests to the state. However, he offered some insight as to what he thinks both teams would like for their stadiums.
“I believe that the Chiefs would like to renovate the stadium and then I think the Royals would like a different site, whether that’s in Kansas City or another location,” he said. “But I think it will ultimately be both in Missouri.”
Parson meets with leaders
The meetings with the teams came the same day that Parson met with local officials to discuss plans to keep the teams in Missouri.
Parson told reporters in Kansas City that “there’s a real opportunity” for Missouri officials to put a plan in place. He signaled that part of that plan includes considering the teams are two separate entities.
“I think you’ve got to split the Chiefs and the Royals. They’re two different entities and two different business adventures here,” he said. “So No. 1, I think you got to start with that. And I think we’re gonna go back to the drawing board a little bit.”
The next few months will be crucial for Parson, who terms out of office in January. Any plan that requires legislative approval would likely also need the support of the next governor during next year’s legislative session.
Parson, however, appeared to suggest that Missouri could try to incentivize the teams to stay in the state without legislative action. He didn’t offer any specifics.
“Well, I don’t know,” Parson said when asked what credibility he had to negotiate with the teams before leaving office. “There’s different things we can use now if we wanted to use them if we knew what the plan was.”
Those comments appear to contradict what Parson told reporters last month when he said that any plan to keep the teams would require legislative action and have to go through a budgetary process.
Shortly after he met with Parson, White, the Jackson County executive, said in a statement that they had a “productive conversation centered on the pride these teams bring to our community and the importance of developing a fair and sustainable plan for the future.”
“I made it clear to Governor Parson, as I have to the public before, during, and after the recent stadium sales tax campaign, that before I can support any new proposal, it must offer clear and significant benefits to the taxpayers of Jackson County,” he said. “Additionally, the financial burden of supporting these teams must be equitably shared among all parties.”
White added that maintaining “the current financial arrangement is not in the best interest of Jackson County and its residents as it hampers our ability to provide essential health and public safety services. Governor Parson understands these challenges and commends our commitment to fiscal responsibility.”
Patterson, the House majority leader, said on Monday that it was important for lawmakers to meet with the teams as Parson nears the end of his term. He said that while some of the candidates for governor may differ in the degree to which they support the teams, he expects every candidate to support keeping them in the state.
“Whoever is the next governor, they’re going to have a choice to make,” he said. “I think it would be very difficult for a new governor to be the one that lost the Kansas City Chiefs.”
EMEA Tribune is not involved in this news article, it is taken from our partners and or from the News Agencies. Copyright and Credit go to the News Agencies, email news@emeatribune.com Follow our WhatsApp verified Channel
