An important meeting looms on Monday, Royals ask for fans to call county legislators
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Royals want to move their ballpark downtown, and now they are asking for your help. On Saturday morning, the Royals released a video online urging Jackson County taxpayers to call their County Legislators, so the proposed stadium sales tax can get on an April ballot.
“I think the frustration has boiled over,” said Jackson County Legislator, Manny Abarca, when asked about the Royals’ plea for help. “I think folks want to weigh in on this at the ballot box, similar to what they did with the Use Tax. They want to vocalize their opinions here, and I think that’s a good thing.”
The last chance for the County Legislature to override County Executive Frank White’s veto of the proposed sales tax ordinance is Monday afternoon. Despite the apparent dysfunction in Jackson County, Clay County thinks its Southern neighbor will find a solution.
“I can’t imagine them not coming to some sort of an agreement, putting it on the ballot, and letting the voters decide,” said David Slater, the Executive Director of the Clay County Economic Development Council. “But if they don’t, we are here. We’re not trying to knock the ball loose or create a fumble or interception, but we sure as heck are here to pick it up if it does drop.”
On Friday, the Royals and Chiefs released a t letter in opposition to Frank White’s veto. The letter also answered many questions raised by those opposed to the sales tax ordinance, in a last-minute effort to help get the stadium tax on April’s ballot.
“I think we need to let these people vote,” Abarca said. “We need to give the Jackson County taxpayers an opportunity to weigh in more.”
If the Jackson County taxpayers don’t get that chance, those up in Clay County want Kansas City to know they are ‘ok’ with being Plan B.
“We’re just here in case something doesn’t work out,” Slater said. “[The Royals] know the door is still open. We’d love to have them up here, but we’d love to have them in Missouri most importantly, and if we are the second choice, that’s fine.”
The Jackson County Legislature is scheduled to meet Monday at 3 p.m.
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