Missouri GOP Infighting Erupts Over Stadium Funding Bill
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A rift within the Missouri Freedom Caucus deepened following a controversial vote to approve $1.5 billion in tax incentives for new or renovated stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. Sen. Rick Brattin, who recently resigned as the caucus chair, had promised to oppose what he termed a “handout to billionaire sports team owners” but voted in favor of the proposal after amendments were made to local property tax provisions.
Brattin’s decision sparked backlash among conservative activists, many perceiving it as a betrayal. Former caucus leader Bill Eigel criticized the move, suggesting that current GOP leaders are compromising conservative principles. "Gov. Mike Kehoe is getting conservatives to vote as badly as moderates," he lamented.
In spite of internal tensions, the legislation garnered bipartisan support in the Senate, with 12 Republicans and 7 Democrats backing it. The funding aims to allocate state taxes generated at the stadiums towards bond payments. Gov. Kehoe sweetened the deal for skeptics by raising a disaster relief package for St. Louis and including limits on property tax increases for numerous counties.
Tim Jones of the Freedom Caucus expressed disappointment over the two members’ support for the bill. “There’s some buyer’s remorse,” he stated. Despite the discord, newly appointed chair Nick Schroer pledged to drive the caucus’s agenda forward.
As the clock ticks toward the end of a potential stadium deal deadline in Kansas, the future of Missouri’s funding initiative remains uncertain amidst ongoing GOP divisions.
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