Missouri Senate Passes Key Legislation Amid Special Session
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe successfully expanded the agenda of a special legislative session aimed at securing tax incentives for stadium financing in Kansas City, alongside addressing disaster recovery and property tax reforms. The session, which commenced on Monday, has garnered attention due to its implications for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, both facing potential relocation offers from Kansas.
After extensive negotiations, the Senate convened nearly seven hours late on Wednesday, ultimately passing a spending bill of $361 million that includes significant disaster aid for St. Louis, following a devastating tornado that inflicted approximately $1.6 billion in damages. The spending package garnered bipartisan support, passing 23-10, while the stadium funding measure was approved with a narrower 19-13 vote.
The stadium bill, which remains contentious among some lawmakers, aims to allocate state tax revenues from economic activities supporting the Chiefs and Royals to offset renovation costs and construction of a new Royals stadium. State Senator Kurtis Gregory, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized the economic stake Missouri has in retaining these teams, estimating the potential loss at over $2 billion in economic activity and thousands of jobs if they relocate.
Despite bipartisan support, dissent emerged primarily from Democratic Senator Tracy McCreery, who criticized the stadium funding as a distraction from pressing issues like disaster recovery. Legislative discussions also included a proposed property tax cap, designed to limit annual increases to 5% in certain counties, which some senators tied to their support for the stadium proposal.
With a deadline for the teams’ decision looming on June 30, Kehoe and legislative leaders remain under pressure to finalize the incentives swiftly while addressing the catastrophic aftermath of recent storms in the region.
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