TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas legislators cleared the way Tuesday for a debate on trying to lure the Kansas City Chiefs from Missouri by approving broad tax cuts that many lawmakers said they needed to see before considering a plan to help the Super Bowl champions finance a new stadium.
The Legislature took up the stadium proposal during a special session that convened Tuesday amid heavy lobbying for the plan. The measure would allow the state to issue bonds to help the Chiefs and Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals finance new stadiums on the Kansas side of their metropolitan area, which is split by the border with Missouri.
But top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature promised that the stadium proposal wouldn’t be debated until the Legislature approved a plan that would cut income and property taxes by a total of $1.23 billion over the next three years. Many lawmakers argued that voters would be angry if the state helped finance new stadiums without cutting taxes.
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“We definitely need to demonstrate that we’re getting relief to our citizens,” said Senate President Ty Masterson, a Wichita-area Republican who backed the stadium-financing plan.
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly called the special session to have lawmakers consider reducing taxes after she vetoed three tax-cutting plans before legislators adjourned their regular annual session May 1. The plan lawmakers approved was a compromise between her and Republican leaders.
Legislators made no changes in the plan before passing it, 34-4 in the Senate and 121-2 in the House. Kelly pledged to sign the measure into law.
Once legislators convened the special session, Kelly couldn’t control what they considered, and that created an opening to consider the stadium-financing plan. That measure would use revenues from sports betting, the state lottery and new taxes raised from the area around each new stadium to pay off the state’s bonds over 30 years.
The first version of the stadium-financing plan emerged in late April, but lawmakers didn’t vote on it before adjourning. It would have allowed state bonds to finance all stadium construction costs, but the version to be considered by lawmakers Tuesday would cap the amount at 70% and require legislative leaders and the governor to sign off on any bonding plan.
House Commerce Committee Chair Sean Tarwater, a Kansas City-area Republican, said the Chiefs are likely to spend between $500 million and $700 million in private funds on a new stadium.
LIONS: Detroit signed all-United Football League kicker Jake Bates, who made three field goals from at least 60 yards for the Michigan Panthers this past season. Detroit added depth at a position with veteran Michael Badgley.
BEARS: Chicago signed veteran receiver and return specialist DeAndre Carter to a one-year contract. The 31-year-old Carter has 108 receptions for 1,259 yards and six touchdowns over six seasons with Philadelphia, Houston, Chicago, Washington, the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders.
