By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board
In a blistering attack letter, Mayor Mark Funkhouser on Thursday ripped into the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and President Pete Levi. Good for the mayor.
The mayor was dissed big-time by the chamber earlier this week, and he decided to fight back.
Here's what happened:
The chamber made a huge error at a private meeting late Monday afternoon.
After meeting that day (separately) with Funkhouser and City Manager Wayne Cauthen, the chamber's board decided to endorse Cauthen's go-slow approach to fixing the KC budget.
Funkhouser had correctly told the chamber executives Monday that he favored aggressive changes in the budget.
So what? said the Chamber.
Here's what Funkhouser wrote in response to the chamber's wrongheaded position on the city budget:
"I am outraged that my input was not sought in the development of the chamber's recent resolution on the city's budget. I saw it for the first time when it was introduced at the board meeting. I raised concerns about the resolution. You and your board members listened politely and then called for questions and further discussion. There was none, and the motion to adopt the resolution was summarily approved.
"I have an MBA, an MSW and a PH.D. in public administration and urban sociology. I've spent nearly 20 years examining the finances of the Kansas City municipal government as my day job and teaching graduate courses in public finance at night. I know the numbers, the players and the history. I think I'm as qualified to discuss the city's current budget issues as anyone on your board. And I'm the mayor.
"As I try to consider what is the best public policy for the city of Kansas City, Missouri, I often think of what other successful cities in our region like Leawood or Overland Park would do and then try to lead my city to do likewise. When I consider this, it occurs to me that, unlike Kansas City, those cities and nearly all others in the region have their own chambers of commerce. And those chambers do not ignore the mayor.
Sincerely,
Mark Funkhouser"
Levi wasn't immediately available for comment Thursday night.
But in an interview Wednesday, Levi vehemently denied that the chamber's position on the KC budget had been an endorsement of Cauthen's approach to the budget.
Sorry, but as I told Levi at the time, the chamber's position was nothing less than extremely disturbing, especially since business leaders have been calling for City Hall to get its fiscal house in order for years.
Along comes a mayor ready to do that, and the chamber shoots the messenger.
It was a bad call by the chamber, a bad call by Levi to defend it -- and a great move by the mayor to shoot back and not let this slight go unchallenged.
Yael T. Abouhalkah is a member of The Kansas City Star's Editorial Board.
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The Mayor did exactly the right thing with the Chamber!!!!
You really have to know what is going on and always do the right thing for the people. Right now I am facing a similiar problem with the City of Gardner and the Gardner Chamber of Commerce but in a different way. The majority of our Council voted to give BNSF and the Allen Group an 85% tax incentive which was backed by the Gardner Chamber of Commerce. Our USD 231 school board did not back this incentive since it would take so many tax dollars away from the school dist. and also result in a higher tax bill for the people since the school dist. would have to increase their mill levy to cover the loss of tax revenue.
First of all the Council, in my opinion, put the shaft to the people and the Chamber was there to push it a little bit further in. When I see these businesses who belong to the Chamber back this incentive, there is no way I can support those business - it is as simple as that. The Chamber of Commerces across the region really need to think about what they are doing - they are not building consensus - they are not doing the right thing for the people.
Thanks for the truth, Yael.. Funkhouser is correct
This is a refreshing change from the Prime Buzz soup of unknown blog idiots.
I can second Yael's opinion, and witness that the Chamber- as well as the Crossroads board, (that I am a member of), have a very huge interest in keeping the status quo of Barnes, Cauthen, et al, in place and operating like the oily money machine that they knew and loved.
Shame on the TIF Pigs, Shame on developer-driven EDC, and shame on those that work to defeat the forces of real change!
Bill Drummond the glass etcher guy, from the Crossroads
Funk, Cauthen, Chamber of Commerce Fiscal Budget
While the initial approach was wrong by Funk attempting to bypass the counsel with the firing, We all need to remember "checks and balances" (disagreeing) is Democratic and that is why we have counsels / congress to make sure a single persons agenda isn't unilaterally executed without the voice of the people (elected officials)whether congress or city counsel. It appears that Funk is a little irritated that these "checks" don't just follow suit when he gives directives. Somewhere I remember it written that Funk being Auditor has also been involved in getting this city in its current financial situation and I see nothing other than this counsel / chamber of congress and citizens being concerned about People, yes People, Zoo admistrators and employees who have worked for many years and in some cases dedicated their lives to Good initiatives aimed at improving our facilities and yes elivating our city to the forefront of this counties communities. Lets be careful to not allow local governments to echo the setiments of the GOP machine that ushers to Large Corporations and International Bankers who care nothing about the common man or his financial struggles...In short the 3 yr plan would have saved jobs that feed the children who remember are going to be left to sort out and save our Failing nation let alone our wonderful Zoo we are so proud of and that I also remember as a kid some 43 yrs. ago. A source of adventure, knowledge and wonder!. God Bless KC and America!.
They don't speak for small business
They betrayed their bar and resturant business members when Levi stated the Chamber's support for the Smoking Ban. First, there was no membership vote and second, since when does the Chamber support private business owners not having a right to make this decision on an individual basis?
They are not an organization of their members but one that a few control.
Friendship aside, Chamber was wrong
I am glad to see Funkhouser respond to the Chamber after they called for better fiscal leadership and dressed the city down for putting off tough decisions and then came back with a letter supporting doing the very thing that got us here. They are better businessmen and women than that so I can only guess that someone's special interest was at work.
This pile on Funkhouser is unproductive and will backfire as the public rallies around him to support change. He has made errors to be sure and has suffered the consequences for them.In this, he is on the right side. Our financial house must be put in order or we will suffer the consequences. You can not support everything and then come back and point fingers as if you had no part in the decisions that got us here.
Finally, what happened to Cauthen saying he will work with the Mayor? It sounds to me like he aligned himself against him and tried to lobby councilmembers and community leaders against him. Note to Cauthen: Your job is to implement the policies of the Mayor and council and your opinion is asked for and considered in the process. You are overstepping your bounds when you position yourself as equal to the Mayor and above the council.
the bottom of the barrel
How low will you go YTA to prop up Mayor Funk A Dunk? I guess as long as the powers that be at the KC Star keep you on Midwest Voices, who cares?