KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A source tells KSHB 41 News reporter Charlie Keegan the Chiefs and Royals sent a revised letter of intent to the Jackson County legislature that includes the team's intentions to sign new stadium lease agreements with Jackson County and the Jackson County Sports Authority.
The letter from the teams states the new agreements would be in connection with the "county's imposition of a 3/8-cent countywide parks sales tax and subject to approval by Jackson County voters on April 2, 2024," according to the letter of intent.
There is a battle over whether a sales tax extension will be on an April ballot.
Jackson County legislators voted in favor of putting a 3/8-cent stadium sales tax on the April ballot, but Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. vetoed the legislation Thursday, the final day he had to execute a veto.
The Jackson County legislature can override White's veto, but would need six of the legislature's votes to do so.
White has the support of three Jackson County legislators — Jalen Anderson, Megan Marshall and Jeanie Lauer — to uphold the veto.
Marshall initially voted against the ordinance.
Anderson, Lauer and Marshall noted 10 specific "unresolved issues" with terms the teams had sent to the county.
Legislator Manny Abarca posted on X what appeared to be a statement from the teams addressing those 10 concerns.
For some folk, no amount of commitment or information will be enough. However, for those genuinely interested in the facts of the deal, here are those realities.
— Manny Abarca (@MannyAbarcaIV) January 20, 2024
There is a lot of misinformation, some intentional. Beware of falling in that trap.
For those who don’t want to… pic.twitter.com/0ruaRO0lKJ
Whether or not there will be enough votes to override is up in the air, as legislator Sean Smith said he's "willing" to support White's veto.
Still, Smith said if he has “documentation that is clear and unambiguous, and signed by all parties involved including the teams, the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority and the County," he could also vote to override it.
Four Jackson County legislators released a joint statement Friday afternoon in support of placing a 3/8-cent stadium sales tax extension on the April ballot.
"Central to the democratic process is the right of voters - not out-of-touch politicians - to make the ultimate decisions on significant issues, according to the statement signed by legislators Manny Abarca IV, DaRon McGee, Donna Peyton and Vennessa Huskey. "By issuing a veto of Ordinance 5822 to retain the Chiefs and Royals in Jackson County, the County Executive is doing just that."
That was accompanied by support from 10 representatives from organizations across Kansas City
Those include:
- KC Chamber
- The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City
- KC Area Development Council
- Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation
- Downtown Council of Kansas City
- Community Builders of Kansas City
- Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce
- Hispanic Chamber of Greater Kansas City
- Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
- Urban League of Greater Kansas City
"On behalf of a collaboration of business and civic organizations we encourage the Jackson County Legislature to take the necessary steps to ensure residents will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed extension of the 3/8 cent sales tax on April 2," the agencies said in part in the statement..
To read their full statement, visit this link.
Abarca is the sponsor of separate legislation that is set to be introduced at Monday's legislative meeting.
The legislation would authorize the county to impose a countywide parks sales tax of 3/16 of 1% for 25 years to keep the Chiefs in Jackson County.
Any sales tax proposal for the two stadiums would have to be approved by the legislature by Jan. 23 to get on the April ballot.
The Jackson County Legislature meets at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, at the downtown Jackson County Courthouse, 415 E. 12th St. in KCMO.
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