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Familiar Foes Use Stadiums As Budget Fulcrum

KC, Jackson County leaders: L to R. Mark Funkhouser, Jim Corwin(in uniform), Mike Smith(back to camera), Dan Tarwater dispute tax use.
kcur photo by Dan Verbeck
KC, Jackson County leaders: L to R. Mark Funkhouser, Jim Corwin(in uniform), Mike Smith(back to camera), Dan Tarwater dispute tax use.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-824964.mp3

Kansas City, Mo. – With Kansas City in an eighty five million dollar budget crisis, the mayor is seeking support for his proposal to take two million dollars from Jackson County Stadium leases. Mayor Mark Funkhouser would pump it into the police department. Linking arts, entertainment and sports as luxuries, the mayor said,"I absolutely disagree that entertainment or sports facilities are economic engines."
Chairman of the Sports Authority, Mike Smith was quick to return fire with, "To say that this is not an economic engine---ludicrous"
Police Chief Jim Corwin is in the middle. He says he will freeze his own salary if it helps fill a budget gap estimated between 9.3 and 13 million dollars. At a hastily called meeting with reporters the mayor brought Chief Corwin with him. Corwin allowed,"I would support any source we could get from , if the priority is public safety."
Neither side disputes that the city has no obligation to pay for stadiums' maintenance.

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