from the nation's heartland. You're listening to Mundo in the morning on 957 FM KCMO talk radio. The announcement came from Mayor Lucas yesterday that there was an ordinance he was planning to move ahead with to redirect $600 million in city funds to a Royals proposed stadium down at Washington Square Park. Now the state of Missouri passed a bill last year in the fall that would chip in up to 50% of a theoretical new Royals or at the time Chief Stadium. So we know that the state has agreed to a portion of this deal but it is contingent on there being a local element as well. There had to be a local element for the state deal to kick in. Is this going to work? John Patterson at Elise Summit is the Speaker of the House. He is joining us on KCMO talk radio. John, good morning. Thanks for being on KCMO. What was your initial reaction to this news yesterday? Well, I thought it was great to hear. I think we shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions just yet. I think it seems like it's the beginning of a negotiating process and I'm not privy to any of the information about what's happening at the city, but I think it is a good sign that the city is looking to help with this and like you said, it does need a local component, the state legislation that we passed last year. So I'm cautiously optimistic but I think it sounds like it's far from a done deal and now we have to see what the details are. What was the reaction from Jefferson City yesterday and the people that you were speaking to down there? Well, I think in terms of Jefferson City the members from the Kansas City area I think have the same feeling as I did. Of course, we all want to see the Royals staying in town and we want to make sure that taxpayers are treated fairly in the Kansas City area. So most of the members I talked with from the Kansas City area were happy to hear that, but again, I don't think this is a done deal and we really have to see what Kansas City has to offer and see if they can get the deal done. But we do have legislation in place that if they did that, they could use the state incentives that we passed last year. I know you're not privy to obviously the City Hall plan, but how much scrutiny do you think the 600 million number should be under and if you had your druthers, would you want to see a vote of the people on this? Well, I think it's going to get a lot of scrutiny and I think just reading the media reports there are a number of elected officials already voicing their skepticism and even some that have voiced opposition. So I think it's going to get a lot of scrutiny. I don't necessarily think it has to go to a election and have a separate vote for this. I think people elect their elected representatives to make decisions like this. I don't think you necessarily need that, but I think it's going to get a lot of scrutiny and I think it should. People should look at what the city's finances are and what they're using to do these incentive packages and I think it will get a lot of scrutiny. Now when it comes to the Royals, what conversations have there been between Jefferson City and the Royals as of late, if any? Well, I've talked to them a couple times, but really it's the legislation that we passed last year. That's when most of the conversations happen. So the state is ready to go and just for your listeners, if they recall, the state would pitch in up to half of the stadium and just let whatever revenue they're generating now in terms of sales taxes to make bond payments on a new stadium and then the state would get any of the extra revenue that would come about from development and future earnings on what happens at the stadium and around it. And so I think it's a reasonable deal for the state and the citizens. So that program is in place and so I think most of the conversations right now are between the team and the city and the county because the state's already done its part and is ready to go. Was the state caught off guard by yesterday's announcement from the mayor's office? Well, I had heard that there would be an announcement of something like this after the earnings tax vote. So I think it didn't catch anybody off guard and people were expecting something after the election on Tuesday. So this was carefully planned from the standpoint of, hey, let's get the e-tax through, jam people for another 1%, tell them we need it for the cops and we need it for the firefighters and we need it for the trash pickup, and then wave the magic wand and say, here's $600 million in redirected revenues for a stadium. Yeah, I think the conventional wisdom was to get the election over with and then do this. And yeah, I paid that earnings tax once and it's not something that I think I would ever want to do, but the voters voted for it and then now they'll get to see what the plan is for the $600 million in incentives. And John Patterson, Missouri Speaker of the House, is on KCMO 957 FM. Okay, so I do want to ask you too while I have you, Mr. Speaker, about the little liquor bottle plan that got a lot of blowback here. It passed the city yesterday. There are five different parts of Kansas City now in 60 days that will ban small bottle liquor sales in an effort to reduce crime in these parts of Kansas City. You said it's bad policy and that the state might pass legislation to make this thing null and void. Is that going to happen? Well, I do think it's bad policy. Imagine being a small business owner in one of these targeted five areas and you've done nothing but have a convenience store and then now the heavy handed government comes in and says, we think your area now shouldn't do this and you can't sell products that another store just across the street can. I think there are a lot of constitutional issues with that. I think there are governance issues with that. And so that's why I felt compelled at the state to at least introduce legislation, introduce language that would perhaps preempt some of this at the local level. Of course, state law would supersede any local ordinance and just say you can't do this. I also think it's somewhat nonsensical to think that by banning a certain size of alcohol, it would reduce or deter crime. I just don't understand that. I think that would put small business owners out of business and there's an empty building, empty parking lot, which I think would actually increase crime. Okay. So is the legislature going to pass something to make this basically a law or an ordinance that can't be enforced? Well, that's the plan at this point. We have language introduced. Of course, in Jefferson City, you never know what's going to pass until six o'clock on the final day. But I'm going to work on getting it passed so that these small business owners are protected and that we don't have these crazy ordinances messing with people's lives and business owners in certain parts of the city. So we're going to try for it. You just never know in Jefferson City. The mayor alleges that this is all about lobbyists going down to Jeff City after they failed in Kansas City. What is your response to that? Well, the only lobbyist I've heard from are business owners in the areas and I've heard from actually a number of them. And I think they just feel targeted that this is arbitrary. And I just, I can't understand how the government would come in and just pick certain neighborhoods and tell store owners you can't sell certain products while someone else just across the street can. I think there's a potential for abuse with that. And so that's who I've mainly heard from our small business owners. All right, John Patterson, Speaker of the House of Missouri on KCMO. Appreciate the time as always. John, thanks so much. Thanks, Pete. All right, there you go. John Patterson, Speaker of the House in Missouri on KCMO 957 FM. Hey there, I'm Paula Pan. I help people make the smartest money decisions possible. Do not ever worry about your salary. You need enough to make sure that you aren't in a bad financial position. Once you have that, your salary becomes moot. What matters from that point forward, upside gains, any type of ownership stake or ownership potential, that's the money. Remember, you can afford anything, just not everything. Afford anything. Follow and listen on your favorite platform. I'm going, oh, it's so cool to follow my taxes in August. It's so awesome. Don't worry, I have an extension. It'll be fine. I like totally do it later. Stop. Do your friggin' taxes now. That was a really good fashion voice. Did you like it? You do that more frequently, please? Yes, every show from now on. I feel like that. Stacking Vegamins. Follow and listen on your favorite platform.
