State Rep. Mazzie Christensen -- No Taxpayer Dollars for Private Stadiums

To the Great Constituents of District 2,

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”- 1 John 3:16

We returned to Jefferson City earlier this month for a special legislative session, which concluded on June 11. This session was called by Governor Mike Kehoe with two key objectives: To create incentives to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri, and to approve disaster relief funding following the recent tornado in the St. Louis area.

Three main bills were considered:

—SB 1 – To appropriate money to the Department of Economic Development for the Missouri Housing Development Commission

—SB 3 – Stadium Incentives & Property Tax Amendment

—SB 4 – Authorizes the expedited disbursement of funds from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund for emergency aid

SB 3:

—Sporting Event Tax Credits: Event sponsors must now be members of the Sports Events and Tourism Association, and no longer need to document costs. Instead, they only need to provide ticket sales or participant data. Credit amounts were increased to $6 per ticket (up from $5) and $12 per participant (up from $10). The annual statewide cap was raised from $3 million to $6 million, and the cap for Jackson County or St. Louis City was increased from $2.7 million to $5.5 million. The credit will now run through 2032.

—Show-Me Sports Investment Act: The state can now fund sports facility projects based on past tax revenue generated by the team’s facility. Agreements can last up to 30 years, and the state can cover up to 50% of project costs through bonds. If a team relocates, they must repay the state. Private investors can receive tax credits worth 50% of their contributions, capped at $50 million or 10% of the project cost.

—This act requires certain counties to put a property tax credit question on the ballot by the April 2026 election for eligible taxpayers. Eligible taxpayers are those who own or have a legal interest in a homestead and are responsible for paying property taxes on it. The credit equals the difference between the current year’s tax liability and the year the taxpayer became eligible. For five percent counties, the credit can increase by no more than 5% per year or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is higher. In zero percent counties, the credit can’t increase beyond the original liability. The credit will be applied to the taxpayer’s property tax bill and noted on their tax statement. It will also count as tax revenue for the county when calculating property tax levies.

I opposed these measures because, while I value the Chiefs and Royals, I do not believe taxpayer dollars or incentives should be used to fund private stadiums for billion-dollar franchises. Your hard-earned money should not subsidize their facilities. At the same time, many Missourians have faced property assessment increases of 10–15%, largely due to pressure from the State Tax Commission on local assessors. Some assessors, fearing a loss of funding, signed agreements under that pressure.

Rather than addressing this state overreach, a last-minute amendment to SB 3 capped property assessment increases at 5%—but only in 97 counties. Others received no relief at all, depending solely on whether their senator included them, which is unconstitutional and has a high probability of being taken to court. The bill also includes a severability clause, meaning if one part is struck down in court, the rest remains in effect.

During debate, it was said that we “pass unconstitutional bills all the time” and that keeping the Chiefs and Royals was justification enough. I strongly disagree. I swore an oath to uphold the Missouri Constitution, and I take that responsibility seriously. After the Senate passed these bills, the House had little ability—or will—to improve them, despite our efforts. The legislature's job is to review and amend bills to best serve Missourians, but that didn’t happen in this special session. And in the end, the Chiefs thanked the legislature—but also said they’re still keeping their options open.

SB 1 and SB 4 included the following provisions:

—$100 million to the Disaster Relief Fund for rebuilding efforts.

—Up to $5,000 in tax credits to help individuals cover insurance deductibles in federally declared disaster zones

—$25 million in emergency housing support

—Increased income eligibility for emergency housing support, raising the threshold from 50% to 75% of the area median income

—In the event of a presidential disaster declaration, emergency funds from the Missouri Housing Trust Fund will be quickly transferred to the Missouri Housing Development Commission, with administrative costs waived. Eligibility for aid will be based on household income, set at 75% or less of the median family income for the area or state, bypassing normal eligibility rules.

While I deeply sympathize with those affected by the tornado, I voted “Present” on these bills. Why? Because most of the funding is going to NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and I was unable to get a clear answer on how much of the money would go toward actual aid versus administrative expenses. The Missouri Housing Commission could not even tell me what percentage of the funds would go toward operating costs. When we’re spending your tax dollars, we must demand accountability and transparency.

As your Representative, I will always advocate for fiscal responsibility, local control, and fair treatment for all Missourians. Rushed legislation, political bargaining, and special favors have no place in our state Capitol.

It's a pleasure to serve and as always if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to my office at (573) 751-4285 or email Mazzie.Christensen@house.mo.gov.

All my Best,
Mazzie Christensen,
State Representative for District 2

Opinion -- Unconstitutional Chiefs, Royals Stadium Bill Passes

by Paul Hamby

Last Wednesday June 11, the Missouri House voted on the unconstitutional multi-subject bill that authorizes funding for new stadiums for the KC Chiefs and KC Royals.

The bill passed with 90 yes votes.  It will most likely be challenged in court.  

The Stadium subsidy bill, SB3, uses the power of government to pick winners and losers.  It takes money from many Missouri Citizens and gifts it to the 1% wealthiest in our state.

Now, a lesson in free market economics:

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell got his first patent for a telephone. For the next 125 years, we had landline corded telephones connected by copper wires. The companies that operated the phone systems were government-controlled monopolies. Technology changed very little in 125 years because there was no incentive for change. But outside the government controlled phone companies, there was a competition of ideas for how to create a Mobile Phone that worked on radio waves and not a copper wire connection.

Motorola was a leader in research and technology. Their inventor made the first ever mobile phone call - and it was a prank call! That call was made on April 3, 1973, by Motorola employee Martin Cooper.  He used a prototype of what would become the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x, the world's first commercial cell phone.  Cooper stood near a 900 MHz base station on Sixth Avenue, between 53rd and 54th Streets, in New York City and placed a call to their competitor’s headquarters; Bell Labs in New Jersey.

It took another 25 years for mobile phones, cell tower networks and nationwide coverage to develop.

The competition was intense and worldwide.  In May 1999, the first cell phone camera was introduced in Japan. In 2002, Canadian company Blackberry introduced a popular smartphone. Texting and emailing from a mobile device were cutting edge technology. In 2007, Apple jumped into the field with the iPhone. Thousands of the world's best inventors competed to create a lightweight digital phone that anyone could afford.

As you read this story, possibly on a smartphone, that is really a handheld computer with an amazing camera and 4+ ways to communicate, please remember that it was through free markets and competition that such an amazing device was invented.  Today, an estimated 40 million people are employed worldwide in the cell phone industry.

If our only choices were limited to government chosen monopolies,  we would still be communicating via an elaborate network of connected aging copper conductors.

Free Markets improve our quality of life.  Free markets and competition create jobs based on what people want, rather than what our elected officials dictate that you should want.

Economist Milton Friedman believed the government should not interfere with the economy.  He said, “In an ideal free market resting on private property, no individual can coerce any other, all cooperation is voluntary, all parties to such cooperation benefit or they need not participate.”  

The Missouri legislature continues to choose for you, how your dollars will be spent.

Stay tuned for further updates on SB3, the Missouri Stadium Subsidy Bill.

 

It's (Still) Cool to be a Royals Fan -- Team Makes the NY Times Again

The Royals, after two decades of futility, finally righted the ship over the last three years and stand at 28-18 at this writing despite their recent slump. At the end of last year's season, with the Yankees dropping out of the Wild Card race, the New York Times did several different articles on the Royals as they were closing in on their first post-season appearance since 1985.

This year, the Yankees and Mets both started off strong, sparking hopes of a subway series; however, they have recently faded back to .500 and back into the realm of the ordinary. So, the Times did yet another piece on the Royals, this time about their announcer, Ryan Lefebvre along with their sports marketing department. The Royals, with their recent run of success, have seen their nightly TV viewership rise from 28,000 to 113,000. The Yankees have gone in the opposite direction, with attendance slightly down at Yankee Stadium and viewership down to 198,000 on TV.

This is not the only time the Times Sports Department has gone off on a tangent in the face of futility from its teams. From January to March of this year, their Knicks beat writer, Scott Cacciola, was given a sabbatical by his bosses from covering the Knicks, which were one of the most underachieving teams in the NBA this year. They were so bad that their leading scorer, Carmelo Anthony, shut it down due to injuries after the All Star Break. Mr. Cacciola's column, appropriately enough, was entitled "Not the Knicks." It is an outstanding compendium on how basketball ought to be played. It was telling that he found a Division II women's game between Emporia State and Missouri Western in St. Joseph more entertaining than what passed for basketball this year at Madison Square Garden.

Back in college, we sat in a Coaching Basketball class taught at Northwest by then-Mens coach Steve Tappmeyer, and we talked one day about the vaunted Sports Illustrated Jinx. Based on what we talked about in his classes, we think that there is a basis in The Jinx. In a nutshell, one of Tapp's main theories, which he always preached to his players in practice, teams do well and reach a state of mind where they think they have it made and relax. And getting on the cover of Sports Illustrated is one of the biggest symbols of having it made. The Royals have trended on Twitter before this year, particularly when other teams were plunking them at a record pace and the Royals thought they were doing it on purpose to get them out of their rhythm. The challenge for the Royals this year will be to maintain their high level of play without getting into a "comfort zone" that they have it made and can relax.

George Brett Becomes New Hitting Coach for Royals

The Royals have brought in George Brett as the new hitting coach for the team along with Pedro Grifol. They replace Jack Maloof and Andre David, who were reassigned to minor league duties within the organization.

Brett brings instant credibility given that he is in the Hall of Fame. He knew when to light a fire under people and when to lighten the mood. When Brett tells the players something, they will be much more likely to listen because he carries with him credibility of having played successfully for almost 20 years for one team.

The move will likely serve as a wake-up call for the players. They now know that they are being evaluated and that it is now time for them to become more focused and perform on the field. Anytime there is a mid-season shakeup of this nature, that is the goal.

There is the possibility that the Royals are grooming Brett to succeed Ned Yost. Yost himself came on as a "consultant" before he was hired as the full time manager. This is the last year of Yost's contract. Let Brett get to know the team for a year since they are not going anywhere and then turn the reigns over to him is a possible plan if the team continues to flounder.

The fact of the matter is that some sort of change had to be made. Yost himself set the standard for the season when he said on the record that his hitters were capable of hitting for more power. However, the team actually is hitting for less power this year and hitting fewer home runs. The firing of Maloof and David was a foregone conclusion after the former publicly predicted that the team would finish last in home runs this year in the league. That was a public admission that he was out of answers.

We have to give credit where it is due. Owner David Glass has opened his purse strings to resign Butler and Gordon this year and has put a lot more into the development of his minor league players after years of having a reputation of being a tight-fisted owner. General Manager Dayton Moore has his weaknesses as well -- none of his top draft picks has met the team's expectations. But the fact of the matter is that this season cannot be pinned on him either. Moore went out and got quality starting pitching this year. He stepped in and acted when things were not working out as expected; the replacement of the hitting coaches was a good move. Something had to be done.

The hope is that not only will George Brett help out with the hitting, he will help out with the clubhouse chemistry as well. He was the ultimate clubhouse chemistry person as well as a great player, creating an environment where everyone could succeed. But while the owner is the one who sets the budget, the general manager gets the players, and the coaches work with the players on the mechanics of the game, it is the manager's responsibility to do four things -- write the lineup cards, change pitchers, make substitutions, and maintain a positive environment for the players to perform in. The ultimate responsibility for that still lies with Yost. We don't want him to scream and yell like he seemed to imply the other night; we want him to bring discipline. If someone celebrates when it is not appropriate or there are personality conflicts within the clubhouse, then the manager is responsible for getting it stopped. There is a big difference.

Ned Yost is Toast

For the first time since the 1980's, people were actually feeling better about the Royals than they were the Chiefs. The Royals had totally revamped their pitching staff and were supposed to finally start to make strides towards respectability and have a .500 season this year. But in recent weeks, after a promising start, it has all broken down. There have been recent seasons in which the Royals have teased fans with a fast start, only to go down the toilet once other teams adjusted. But this was supposed to be different -- the pitching was finally there, the hitting was supposed to come around, and the team was supposed to be able to hit for more power.

But now, it has all turned into a fundamental breakdown of discipline. For all his shortcomings, this one cannot be blamed on GM Dayton Moore. He did his part this year, bringing in the pitching needed to turn the Royals into a contender. The responsibility lies with the manager, Ned Yost. The hitting has been a liability all year. The pages of Lee Judge's "Judging the Royals" have become a broken record -- not enough hitting, fundamental lack of plate discipline, and the inability to get the big hit when it matters. But the breakdown of team discipline cumulated last night in pitcher Luis Mendoza's celebration after he got a hit to the wall against the Cardinals. What could have turned into extra bases and a big inning instead turned into a single and one run.

Excuse me, but what does a team that has lost seven straight and 19 out of their last 23 have to celebrate about? This is similar to the times the Chiefs were showboating and celebrating their way to a 2-14 season last year, one of the worst in franchise history. If it had been a World Series win, or a Division Title, or even a winning season, that would have been something appropriate to celebrate about. It would even be appropriate to celebrate a walkoff win. Yet we see Mendoza showboating and celebrating over a single hit.

It's like the immortal Len Dawson says -- let the scoreboard do the talking for you. The long-time color commentator for the Chiefs knows a thing or two about winning; he was part of their winning Super Bowl team. What Mendoza did is not appropriate in Little League or T Ball, let alone the big leagues. Yet it is a perfect symbol of the kind of breakdown in team discipline that Ned Yost has allowed to fester this year.

It's not always a matter of wins or losses; it's how you win or lose that matters. Two nights ago, Yost got testy and defensive when asked questions about his team's performance. He sounds for all the world like a man who is out of answers for this team. He can say all he wants that he doesn't listen to speculation about his future in Kansas City. But the fact of the matter is that management listens to fan discontent much more than they would care to admit. That is why managers and coaches frequently do not last very long in professional sports. That is why the Yost Watch is officially in high gear.

Last night, he said:
“Once we start to swing the bat,” he said, “that’s where you’ll start to see everybody start to relax. Now, you start to put a win streak together. It all comes back to where it should be.” 

But the problem is bigger than a matter of a team being in a slump. The team is showing a lack of plate discipline, swinging at pitches they should be taking and taking pitches they should be swinging at. The hitting is so bad that the Royals were only able to win one game out of three at tailender Houston, one of the few teams having a worse year than the Royals.

And the lack of discipline is not limited to the players. The coaches are sending different messages to the public. On the one hand, Ned Yost said that his team was capable of hitting for more power when he fired Kevin Seitzer as hitting coach last year. Now, his own hitting coach, Jack Maloof, predicted that the team would finish last in home runs this year.

The heat on Yost has been building over the last year, given that he has fired three of his coaches. This is a clear sign that management has been leaning on him to make changes. But now that Yost has his own people in charge, he is running short of options. This year, he set his own standards for the team by saying that his players were capable of hitting for more power. However, his coaches and his players have not lived up to his own standards that he set. It's not just a matter of coming out of a slump. It is a matter of the manager bringing discipline to an organization that has too long lacked it.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/05/29/4262986/royals-yost-says-he-doesnt-listen.html#storylink=cpy

Cancer Survivor Has Surprise Reunion with Royals Player

Wyatt Sperry, who works in the Farm Service Office in Grant City, is a soil conservationist. But 25 years ago, in 1987, he was fighting for his life as he was diagnosed with cancer when he was only five years old in May. In October, through the Make a Wish Foundation, Wyatt got to meet Royals player Kevin Seitzer, who was a rookie that year and who hit over .300 and collected over 200 hits. He got Kevin's autograph and got his picture taken with Seitzer.

Wyatt had his leg amputated, but he was able to survive the disease and has been cancer-free for the last 25 years. This summer, unbeknownst to him, his mother arranged for a reunion with Seitzer while he was a hitting coach for the Royals. Sperry thought that he was simply going for a ballgame; however, he was taken down to the clubhouse and reunited with Seitzer this October. He was featured on KMBC Channel 9. The reunion was arranged through the Dream Factory, another organization which helps cancer survivors. The Dream Factory had also helped Sperry go to Disney World when he was a kid.