Missouri lawmakers question if sports stadium funding is as important as helping tornado victims
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - In the storm-struck neighborhoods of St. Louis, you can hear hammers tearing down destroyed walls, see bricks that once made up a home, and feel the devastation of families who lost their homes.
Annquette Thirdkill is helping her family rebuild after the May 16 tornado tore down their St. Louis home. But she represents just one of many across Missouri hit by a particularly devastating tornado season that’s still happening.
“You just cry cause you’re just in disbelief, like, this really did happen,” Thirdkill said.
Now, lawmakers are meeting in Jefferson City to discuss how to help storm victims. The incentivize the Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri, provide financial relief for tornado victims and some economic development projects.
For storm relief, Gov. Mike Kehoe is asking lawmakers to craft an income tax deduction for those hit by storms this spring. It would be no greater than $5,000 per household, a total economic impact of $25 million for the state.
During public hearings on Tuesday, lawmakers from both parties questioned whether this investment is sufficient.
“I think Stevie Wonder can see that this is probably one of the most offensive proposals that I’ve ever seen when it came to a natural disaster,” said St. Louis Democratic Sen. Brian Williams.
“I think $25 million is a drop in the bucket and it’s just a good start,” said Butler County Republican Sen. Jason Bean.
But representatives from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund say this is the most a governor has allocated from state funds to help storm victims.
When asked if he’ll consider raising the amount for storm relief, Kehoe said he hasn’t gotten to that point but knows it will take significant investment to rebuild after the storms.
“That’s a major part of this call (for a special session), that’s very timely, and it’s something that citizens are very much hurting on,” Kehoe said about storm relief.
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