By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

As KC Mayor Mark Funkhouser's public credibility plummets, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders's is rising.

Four examples:

-- Funkhouser loses a light-rail election; Sanders takes charge of a multi-county effort on regional transit and says it's time to move more slowly and prudently.

-- Funkhouser faces a $60 million budget shortfall and is providing little public leadership on the issue; Sanders on Thursday will discuss a balanced budget he has put together with very little of the usual rancor among legislators and courtroom officials.

-- Funkhouser is suing the city so his wife Gloria Squitiro can be by his side at City Hall; Sanders on Monday put in place a tough, new ethics rule covering hundreds of county workers.

-- Funkhouser is feuding with many City Council members, after jettisoning two from their duties as council chairs; Sanders is working well with the Legislature on the budget and on the idea of making sure the new ethics rules also apply to them.

Sanders can't replace Funkhouser as the most important elected official in this area.

But Sanders' recent accomplishments show just how far Funkhouser has fallen in taking on the serious business of providing leadership in governing KC.