Resistance grows ahead of Missouri special session

A special session in Missouri’s legislature doesn’t start until Monday but there are already rumblings of resistance.

Missouri Freedom Caucus members say they are ready and willing to work with Governor on tax relief for ALL Missourians, but that they are a “Hard No” on a billionaire bailout.

“The end-product of this Special Session must be a win for ALL residents of the Show-Me State, and not just a handout to wealthy special interests. If Governor Kehoe and legislative leaders insist on using taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars for a half billion-dollar (or more) handout to billionaire sports team owners in a stand-alone bill, the Missouri Freedom Caucus will vote against such a proposal and will consider utilizing any tools at its disposal to stop it.”

The Missouri Independent reports Democrats are seething that the governor’s agenda for the special session includes hundreds of millions for stadiums but only $25 million in disaster recovery funds for victims of recent tornadoes in the St. Louis region.

Missouri officials are scrambling to come up with an offer to try and keep the Chiefs and Royals in the state because Kansas lawmakers authorized bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums, paying them off over 30 years with revenues from sports betting, Kansas Lottery ticket sales, and new sales and alcohol taxes.