Kinder plans statewide economic development bill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's top senator is preparing an economic development package offering state aid for stadiums in St. Louis and Kansas City -- and for projects elsewhere in the state.

The plan by Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, to be announced today, is intended to be acceptable to urban and rural lawmakers alike. But he acknowledges he still is a vote or two short of Senate passage, according to his own informal tally.

Lawmakers from St. Louis and Kansas City already have filed stadium development bills. Kinder said his proposal would incorporate those plans and more.

The bill may also include funding for projects in Springfield and Branson and an opportunity for other communities to tap into state economic development money.

"It will also contain an attempt to move the debate from a sterile urban-rural split to a more productive discussion of how we can improve the whole state of Missouri," Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, said Thursday.

Kinder's plan caps a week of stadium posturing at the Capitol.

Gov. Bob Holden and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay held a news conference Tuesday touting the plan for a new Cardinals baseball stadium linked to a downtown development.

Later that day, Kansas City leaders went before a House committee to pitch their plan for renovating the Chiefs' and Royals' stadiums and putting more money into art and cultural projects.

Then, on Wednesday, four rural Republican senators responded with their own news conference criticizing the stadium proposals for presenting false claims of economic development.

"A baseball stadium is not economic development," said Sen. Sarah Steelman, R-Rolla. "It exists. It is here in the state. Unless there is some new money flowing into the state, then there is no economic development."

With Steelman at Wednesday's news conference were Republican Sens. David Klindt of Bethany, John Cauthorn of Mexico and Larry Rohrbach of California.

As a rural lawmaker from Southeast Missouri, Kinder said he has taken some heat for backing the urban stadium plans. He said his support has nothing to do with any future campaigns for a statewide office and, in fact, could hurt him in a Republican primary.

"I happen to believe it's the right thing to do," Kinder said. "It's worth expending some political capital."

Kinder planned to file his legislation today.