Kansas City voters aren’t dumb. Royals and Chiefs owe them some details about stadiums | Opinion
Barring any last-minute hiccups — always a possibility in our region — Jackson County voters will decide in April whether they want to tax themselves until 2071 so the Royals and Chiefs can build or rebuild the stadiums in which they play.
It’s a monumental decision. The 3/8th-cent sales tax would easily generate more than $2 billion over its 40-year term, money that would be used to pay off borrowing for the stadiums. That’s a lot of cash.
Some voters will vote no on principle, which is a perfectly defensible position. A sales tax is regressive, which means it falls hardest on those least able to afford a ticket to a Chiefs or Royals game. It’s an enormous subsidy for private businesses owned by extraordinarily wealthy individuals.
And there are so many other needs facing Jackson Countians: schools, roads, parks, transportation, public safety. It remains a stunning reality that the county’s voters are asked to support stadiums for two pro sports franchises while nearby residents in wealthier communities remain largely off the hook.
Other voters, though, may be open to hearing the discussion over the next three months before making up their minds. These voters may be willing to write a massive check for pro sports, but they will not support writing a blank check to the teams, nor should they.
These voters will want answers. They deserve them.
No Jackson County voter should support the tax extension without firm, in-writing promises from both teams to play their home games in Jackson County for the life of the tax. Those promises should include substantial financial penalties if either franchise tries to move.
The leases should also continue Jackson County residents’ preference for tickets. They should clearly define responsibilities for maintenance and future improvements for both facilities.
As it now stands, we don’t even know if Jackson County will own the new baseball stadium. That’s ridiculous. The Royals, and the county, must clarify the financing and ownership of the facility, again in writing, before the April vote.
Cost overruns should be the teams’ responsibility. Jackson County should pay a fixed amount, on an annual basis; excess tax revenues should revert to county use, not the teams.
Effects on Kansas City’s debt, credit rating?
There is some indication Kansas City will be involved in financing the downtown stadium, which, as of this writing, is still without a site. How will that work? Will additional borrowing affect the city’s debt load, or its credit rating? What other promises will City Hall make to ensure construction of the ballpark?
Will existing businesses be displaced? If so, how will they be compensated?
We haven’t heard much about the $1 billion ballpark development project once promised by Royals owner John Sherman. We don’t know if public incentives and tax breaks are part of that project. Voters should insist on that information before April.
The Chiefs must be more transparent, too. Team owner Clark Hunt has said the club prefers to stay at the unfortunately-named Arrowhead Stadium for another 25 years. What happens after that? Will Jackson Countians be asked to come up with another $2 billion or so for a new football stadium in, say, 2050?
What role will the state of Missouri play in all of this? We don’t know. The Chiefs have said they expect state help, but voters don’t know if that means an annual appropriation, tax credits, abatements or something else. That needs to be cleared up. Soon.
Monday, the Royals promised support for a so-called Community Benefits Agreement, which outlines the teams’ commitments in hiring for construction and design of any new ballpark. Fine. The Chiefs need a CBA, too.
But both can do more: a CBA that calls for community hiring long after the stadiums are built or rehabbed. The Royals have squabbled with ballpark vendors for some time. That must end. A cap on parking costs at Arrowhead would be nice, too.
Even answering these questions, and others, won’t convince every voter to support the extension. Sadly, these issues should have been addressed two years ago — now they’ll be crammed into the final weeks before balloting begins. For some, it will seem too rushed, especially since the current leases don’t expire until 2031.
Others will be opposed to supporting billionaire owners and millionaire players. But let’s be clear-eyed about that, too: Few things unite our region more than the Chiefs and Royals. That’s something to be treasured, and not discarded lightly. Ask Oakland, California.
That’s why full transparency is essential in the weeks ahead. Voters are smart. They have repeatedly shown support for both teams at the ballot box. They want, and deserve, full disclosure before agreeing to extend the sales tax.
Dave Helling is a former Kansas City Star reporter, columnist and editorial board member.
