KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The fate of the effort to ask Jackson County voters this April to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax for stadium projects for the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs could be decided Monday afternoon.
Jackson County legislators are slated to meet at 3 p.m. this afternoon to debate the topic and potentially take a vote that could put the sales tax extension on the ballot.
Earlier this month, legislators voted 8-1 to place the extension on the April 2 ballot, but County Executive Frank White vetoed the measure late last week.
As part of his announcement to veto the measure, White was joined initially by three legislators - Jalen Anderson, Jeanie Lauer and Megan Marshall - voicing their support for White’s veto.
Shortly thereafter, legislator Sean Smith joined the group in supporting the veto, though Smith’s letter indicated he’d be willing to reconsider if the team’s continued to negotiate.
Late Friday, KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan obtained a new letter of intent with additional language included by the Royals and Chiefs as they continued negotiating with the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.
On Monday morning, Smith told KSHB 41 he now planned to override White’s veto, promising to share his rationale later in the afternoon.
Also Monday morning, KSHB 41 confirmed that Anderson also now plans to vote to override the veto. Anderson plans to discuss his decision in a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday.
With Smith and Anderson now announcing plans to override White’s veto, getting the sales tax extension on April’s ballot now appears possible, with the required six votes now identified.
Legislators are scheduled to meet in their regular weekly meeting at 3 p.m. Monday.
—
