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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD-FOR-THOUGHT FIGHT OVER THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE
TRENDS OF THE TIMES. I'M MIKE SHANIN JOINED BY THE RUCKETTES, KANSAS CITY STAR
EDITORIAL WRITER, YAEL ABOUHALKAH, URBAN LEAGUE CEO AND PRESIDENT, GWEN GRANT; MEDIA AND
COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT, MARY O'HALLORAN; AND LOBBYIST *** COZAD, HEAD OF THE COZAD
COMPANY. THIS WEEK, THERE IS NO DOUBT WE'RE DISCUSSING A CLOWN.
AT THE OPENING OF THE MISSOURI STATE FAIR IN SEDALIA, A RODEO CLOWN APPEARED IN THE ARENA
WEARING A MASK OF PRESIDENT OBAMA. THE RODEO ANNOUNCER ASKED IF THE
CROWD WOULD LIKE TO SEE A BULL RUN THE PRESIDENT DOWN OR A MASK OF THE PRESIDENT DOWN, AND THE
CROWD CHEERED. THE INCIDENT TRIGGERED NATIONAL DEBATE ABOUT FREE SPEECH, RACISM
AND THE NATURE OF MISSOURIANS. LOCAL COLUMNIST LEWIS DOGOOD CLAIMS IT REVEALED A LOT ABOUT
MISSOURI'S ANT HE -- PAST. ***, YOU'RE A NATIVE MISSOURIAN, AS AM I.
YOU KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE STATE. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF
MR. DOGOOD'S CONCLUSIONS? ACTUALLY I WAS BORN IN MAINE, BUT NONETHELESS, I CLAIM TO KNOW
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MISSOURIANS, AND I'LL TELL YOU 55% THINK THE PRESIDENT IS DOING A BAD JOB,
37% THINK HE'S DOING A GOOD JOB. THAT'S NOT A VERY GOOD RATIO. THAT'S NOT BASED ON HIS RACE.
THAT'S BASED ON THEIR CONCLUSION THAT HE ISN'T DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.
THESE MASKS, WHICH WE HAVE SUDDENLY DESCRIBED AS A BLACK FACE MASK, IN FACT, PRESIDENTIAL
MASKS GO BACK IN MY MEMORY AT LEAST AS FAR AS RICHARD NIXON. LET ME TELL YOU, THE FOLKS WHO
MOSTLY ATTEND THE STATE FAIR ARE MOSTLY IN THAT 55% AND THEY WOULD HAVE DONE THE SAME THING
AND MAY VERY WELL HAVE DONE THE SAME THING FOR JIMMY CARTER, SAY, IN 1979 OR 80.
THIS, I DON'T THINK IS RACISM. VULGAR, NOT VERY FUNNY, ALL OF THE ABOVE.
NOT VERY RESPECTABLE OF THE PRESIDENCY, WELL, WELCOME TO AMERICA IN THE 21st CENTURY.
COME TO THINK OF IT, WELCOME TO AMERICA BACK WHEN GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS IN OFFICE AND HIS
OWN SECRETARY OF STATE WAS RUNNING AN UNDERGROUND NEWSPAPER ATTACKING HIS ADMINISTRATION.
JUST NOTHING NEW HERE, FOLKS, AND IT IS DONE AT A FUNCTION SPONSORED IN PART WITH PUBLIC
MONEY. THAT RAISES A QUESTION. BUT IT ONLY RAISES A QUESTION
BECAUSE WE ALSO FUND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, AND IF SOMEBODY PUTS ON A BUSH MASK AND
GOES OUT AND HAS A DEMONSTRATION AT THE UNIVERSITY ON CLASS TIME OR SOMETHING, ARE WE GOING TO
TELL THEM THEY CAN'T DO THAT? BUT THE USE OF STATE MONEY AT STATE FAIRS WHERE PRESIDENTS
HAVE BEEN KIDDED IN THE PAST HAVEN'T BEEN QUESTIONED PREVIOUSLY?
THERE ISN'T ANY RECORD OF A PRESIDENT KIDDED AT THAT PARTICULAR EVENT.
I THINK IT'S DONE EVERY YEAR. I LOOKED FOR ONE AND COULDN'T FIND IT.
YOU KNOW, MOST EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT. WHAT WAS IT ABOUT?
IT WAS ABOUT MAKING FUN OF THE PRESIDENT AND REALLY PUTTING THAT FIGURE OUT THERE.
IF YOU LISTEN TO THE WORDS THAT WENT WITH IT, I WAS MORE SHOCKED NOT SO MUCH BY THE MASK BUT BY
THE WORDS OF THE ANNOUNCER AND THE -- WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT AND GET YA, GET YA, GET YA, AND
LOOK AT OBAMA, NEVER USING HIS TITLE, OF COURSE. LOOK AT OBAMA, HE'S GOING TO RUN
AWAY. BY THE WAY, I GREW UP IN RODEO COUNTRY.
I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF RODEOS, AND THOSE KINDS OF EVENTS, THE GUYS THAT ARE CLOWNS ARE
ATHLETES. AND THE RODEOS I ATTENDED WERE FULL OF CLASS AND STYLE, AND I
NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT ABOUT A PRESIDENT. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THAT LOOKED
LIKE A TACKY OPERATION. IT REALLY DID. DO PEOPLE NEED TO BE FARED
OVER THIS AS ONE RODEO CLOWN HAS BEEN BANNED FROM MISSOURI STATE FAIRS FOREVER MORE, AND THE
PRESIDENT OF THE RODEO ASSOCIATION HAS RESIGNED AND HE'S ALSO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
THE BOONVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, MAYBE IN PROBLEMS THERE. SHOULD THEY BE FIRED?
I THINK THAT'S THE CALL OF THE FOLKS IN AUTHORITY. IS THAT NOT AN OVERREACTION?
I DON'T THINK IT'S AN OVERREACTION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT USING PUBLIC DOLLARS, WE TALK ABOUT -- IT'S NOT THE JOKING ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT THAT'S AT ISSUE HERE. THERE WAS A GREAT ARTICLE IN THE STAR THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW FOR
YEARS COMEDIANS HAVE JOKED ABOUT PRESIDENTS. IT'S THE MANNER IN WHICH IT'S
DONE. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE IMITATED PRESIDENTS.
THEY DO IT ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE ALL THE TIME. THEY COME OUT AND THEY'RE IN
CHARACTER. THEY'RE IN FORM. BUT IT'S NOT A IN DISRESPECTFUL
MANNER. IT'S NOT IN A MANNER THAT DID HE HE -- DEMEANS THE OFFICE OF THE
PRESIDENT. I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S AT ISSUE HERE.
AND THEN TO HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT INVOLVED IN THIS AT AN
EVENT WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, I THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SUNDAY WRITING ABOUT THIS AND FOLLOWING UP ON IT.
I WOULD AGREE TO THIS EXTENT TO THIS "THIS ISN'T A BIG DEAL CROWD".
SIMILAR THINGS HAVE HAPPENED SPORD I I -- SPORADICALLY. THE CONSERVATIVE CROWD IS SAYING
IT HAPPENED IN 1994, HERE IS THIS LINK. ALL OF THESE SUPER CONSERVATIVES
ARE POINTING TO A 1994 INCIDENT, SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED, 19 YEARS AGO.
IN MISSOURI? NO, IN PENNSYLVANIA. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON AT RODEO
EVENTS. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON TO MAKE FUN OF THINGS, BUT THIS BRINGS A
LARGER POINT. YEAH, IT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE HE'S BLACK.
CAN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT? FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THE TABLE ARE WHITE, AND
WE DON'T REALLY RECOGNIZE IT. IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY OUT THERE IN BASICALLY AN ALL WHITE CROWD,
RURAL CROWD WHERE THEY DON'T LIKE OBAMA ANYWAY, YES, MOCKING THE PRESIDENT, IT IS GOING TO BE
TAKEN DIFFERENTLY BY -- CERTAINLY BY BLACK PEOPLE BUT ALSO BY THE LIBERAL PEOPLE WHO
DON'T WANT OBAMA MADE FUN OF IN THAT WAY. SO I THINK THERE IS A REACTION,
AN OVERREACTION PROBABLY BY BOTH SIDES IN THAT REGARD. BUT I THINK MY OVERREACTION WAS
RIGHT. SOMETHING GOOD HAD TO HAPPEN CERNER OR LATER AT THE BANNISTER
MALL. CERNER CORPORATION IS BUYING 217 ACRES OF THE MALL TO EXPAND
ITS INNOVATION CAMPUS. THE EXPANSION COULD ADD THOUSANDS OF JOBS, PERHAPS AS
MANY AS 15,000, TO AN AREA WHERE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN TEPID AT BEST.
THE BUSINESS JOURNAL QUOTES CERNER AS SAYING THE PURCHASE IS CONTINGENT IN PART ON THE
SECURING OF APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL INDENT I -- INCENTIVE. WHERE MIGHT THOSE COME FROM?
PROBABLY FROM THE CITY, THE STATE AND YOUR RIGHT POCKET. THEY ALREADY HAVE A DEAL OUT
THERE THAT BASICALLY IT'S A NICE TIF DISTRICT, AND LET'S GIVE CREDIT WHERE DO, WHICH WHICH ISR
HAS BOUGHT PROPERTY OUT THERE, PUT MOST OF THE LAND TOGETHER. IF YOU STEP BACK AND MAKE A
SNAPSHOT OF TEN YEARS FROM NOW AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY BUILT SOME OR MANY OF THE BUILDINGS, AND
THERE ARE SOME 6,000, 8,000 OR 10,000 PEOPLE WORKING OUT THERE, AND THERE IS SOME RETAIL
STARTING TO POP UP. TO ME, ALMOST MOST IMPORTANTLY, SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE
REJUVENATING, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE, OH, I WANT TO LIVE CLOSE TO WORK, BUY THIS RUN-DOWN HOME,
AND A PRETTY DID HE LAB -- DILAPIDATED AREA OF KANSAS CITY, THAT'S ALL GOOD.
AS ANTIINCENTIVE AS I CAN CERTAINLY BE AT TIMES, THIS IS NOT A BORDER WAR ISSUE.
CONCERNER IS -- CONCERNER IS CREATING JOBS IN KANSAS AND MISSOURI.
IT IS GOING TO BE A TAX GIVEAWAY, BUT NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN THERE UNTIL YOU GIVE
SOME OF THE STUFF AWAY. CONCERNER IS -- CERNER IS A LEGITIMATE KANSAS CITY COMPANY,
AND THEY HAVE INVESTED IN OUR AREA AND DEVELOPED JOBS BEFORE. BOTTOM LINE, KEEP IN MIND HOW
MUCH INCENTIVES YOU GIVE AWAY, WHICH IS ALWAYS THE DEAL. BUT YOU WOULDN'T GET THAT
AREA DEVELOPED WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL --. I AGREE.
THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE THEM TO BASS PRO AND WHEN THE SOCCER PARK WAS GOING TO COME IN THERE.
DOWNTOWN AND SOUTH KANSAS CITY, IN THAT AREA, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME INCENTIVES.
COULD SOMEBODY EXPLAIN COMPLETELY -- I BET A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW.
WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE CERNER IN KANSAS CITY. WHAT DOES IT DO?
THEY'RE JUST GREAT. THEY'RE A GREAT COMPANY. WHAT DO THEY DO?
THEY ARE BOOMING. WHAT'S THEIR BUSINESS? THEIR SPECIALTY IS ADAPTING
THE NEEDS OF HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS TO THE DIGITAL AGE. THEY EVENT AND MARKET HEALTH
CARE INFORMATION SOFTWARE. NOT JUST HERE AND JUST AROUND THE WORLD.
AND WITH OBAMACARE COMING ON, CERNER AND OTHER HEALTH CHANGES IN OUR SOCIETY, THEIR FUTURE IS
REALLY INCREDIBLE. THIS IS A CLASSIC CASE WHERE TAX SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE IS
REALLY A GOOD IDEA BUT FOR -- THIS IS THE CLASSIC BUT FOR. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE
INCENTIVES, IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAPPEN. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I THINK
PEOPLE NEED TO REALLY -- I HOPE THAT THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN KANSAS CITY WILL THINK ABOUT WHY
THE LAST BIG DEVELOPMENT DIDN'T WORK THERE. WE HAD THE MALL, OTHER KINDS OF
BOX STORES. MY GOSH, WAL-MART HAD SOMETHING THAT WAS THE BIGGEST STHING --
THING I EVER SAW OUT THERE. WHERE DID IT GO AND WHY? CRIME.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS. BUT THE OTHER PROBLEM WAS A LOT MORE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT.
FAILURE TO DEVELOP THE AREA AROUND THE MALL AND FAILURE TO DO ANYTHING IN ADDITION TO IT.
WELL, THEY HAD TO BUILD TOWERS IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE BANNISTER MALL FOR PROTECTION
PURPOSES. THAT WAS STUPID. IT MAY HAVE BEEN STUPID, BUT
THAT WAS A REACTION TO CRIME. ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BANNISTER MALL DEVELOPMENT?
I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. I LOVE -- I LIVE IN THAT AREA, NOT FAR FROM WHERE I LIVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT, WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE HOUSING VALUES GO UP.
I THINK IT COULD BE A GREAT DEVELOPMENTAL PIECE FOR THE SIXTH DISTRICT.
THANK GOD FOR CERNER, RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY. ALL ABOARD FOR THE DOWNTOWN
STREETCAR STEART SYSTEM. STARTER SYSTEM. THE MISSOURI COURT OF APPEALS
RULES AGAINST WHO CLAIMED THE TAX WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR AN APPEAL,
BUT IT LOOKS INCREASINGLY LIKELY THAT THE STARTER SYSTEM WILL, IN FACT, START.
WHAT DO THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS PLAN HOPE WILL HAPPEN ONCE THE LINE IS UP AND RUNNING?
I THINK THEY HOPE IT WILL SPUR DEVELOPMENT. I THINK THEY HOPE THEY WILL BE
ABLE TO TAP INTO ADDITIONAL FEDERAL DOLLARS SO THAT THEY CAN GET THE -- EXTEND EAST AND WEST
AND FURTHER SOUTH. THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED THESE IDEAS, HAVEN'T THEY, ABOUT
MOVING? SOME GROUPS, SOME PLANNING, TO TALK ABOUT HOW THEY WILL
EXTEND THE STREETCAR. I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WILL BE IN ORDER TO DO THIS
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FEDERAL SUPPORT, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FEDERAL DOLLARS, AND CURRENTLY
WITH SEQUESTRATION AND WITH A DYSFUNCTIONAL CONGRESS, IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THOSE THINGS
WON'T HAPPEN. SO I THINK WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM EXTENSIONS, AND IT WILL BE GREAT
TO SEE US GET IT STARTED, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL SPUR SOME DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE PATHWAY
AND SUPPORT TOURISM IN THE AREA. THERE MAY BE SOME ISSUES WITH THE CONTRACT TO MANAGE THE
PROJECT, ***. WE'VE GOT TWO OUT OF TOWN, TWO NONUNION COMPANIES THAT HAVE
BEEN SELECTED, HERZOG CONTRACTING FROM ST. JOSEPH, STACEY AND WITPECK FROM
CALIFORNIA. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THOSE RAISE? THEY'RE NONUNION.
HERZOG IS VIRTUALLY A LOCAL COMPANY. THEY'RE IN ST. JOE.
I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO THE -- I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL TO
THE CITY, AND TO MIKE SANDERS JUST WITH FREE ADVICE ON THE HEAVY RAIL AND LIGHT RAIL.
THEY ARE AMONG THE MOST QUALIFIED COMPANIES IN AMERICA THAT DO THIS KIND OF WORK.
THEY DO A LOT OF IT. THEY'VE DONE IT IN SAN DIEGO, MIAMI, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
SO HERE THEY ARE RIGHT NEXT TO HOME, AND THEY ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND AMONG THE MOST
QUALIFIED IN THE COUNTRY TO DO IT. THE CITY STAFF HAS THEREFORE
APPROPRIATELY SAID, YEAH, THEY'VE GOT TO BE ON THIS LIST, AND NOW WE'RE GETTING GROUCHING
THAT WE'VE GOT OTHER COMPANIES LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN KANSAS CITY.
CLARKSON HAS PARTNERED UP WITH A COMPANY THAT DOES HAVE EXPERIENCE IN RAIL.
J.E. DUNN IS MOSTLY A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. REALLY, IS THIS WHAT THE CITY
COUNCIL IS THERE FOR? THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE GOT A CITY STAFF FOR, TO PICK WHO GETS THIS
CONTRACT AND WHO IS QUALIFIED TO GET IT. NOW, THIS IS PURE POLITICS.
THEY'RE A NONUNION COMPANY. WE DON'T WANT THEM OUT OF HERE. GET THEM OUT OF HERE.
YOU WANT TO GET SOME FEDERAL MONEY OUT OF THAT DYSFUNCTIONAL CONGRESS, YOU DO THIS ON THIS
BASIS, SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIRE THAT NONUNION COMPANY. DO IT, AND YOU CAN KISS THAT
FEDERAL MONEY GOODBYE FOR A LONG TIME. AS I UNDERSTAND, IT MAY BE A
NONUNION COMPANY BUT IT'S DONE WORK WITH UNION LABORERS IN THE PAST AND PUT TOGETHER AGREEMENTS
WITH THEM. YES. NO. 1, I KNOW YOU SAY
CORRECTLY SO, POLITICS COULD GET INVOLVED HERE. BUT NOW IT'S IT'S AN OVERSIGHT
ISSUE WHERE THE PEOPLE WILL SEE, IF THEY MAKE A CHANGE HERE, WE'LL KNOW WHY.
IT WASN'T DONE BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE BIDDING PROCESS. AT LEAST THE STAFF
RECOMMENDATIONS WAS MADE. AT LEAST WE'RE TO THAT POINT. SO IF THE COUNCIL MAKES A
CHANGE, WE'LL KNOW WHY. THE SECOND POINT IS, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALL THE PRO-TRANSIT
PEOPLE OUT HERE, AND THEY GO CRAZY WHEN I SAY THIS. YES, TRANSIT COULD BE GOOD, AND
THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THE STARTER LINE. BUT ALL THIS TALK ABOUT, WE NEED
TO TALK ABOUT EXPANSION AND GET GOING ON THAT. I'M GLAD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
IT, BUT UNTIL YOU CAN PUT TWO MILES IN AND FIND PEOPLE THAT WILL RIDE THIS THING -- I MEAN,
IT'S ALREADY GOING TO BE FREE. IT'S NOT A BIG TRANSIT ISSUE. IT IS A DEVELOPMENT ISSUE.
EVENTUALLY IT COULD BECOME A TRANSIT ISSUE, AND IF THEIR DREAM OF HAVING 8, 12 MILES
SUCCEEDS, I APPLAUD THEM FOR DOING THAT. BUT IF WE START HAVING MORE
TTD'S BEFORE THEY KNOW IF THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO WORK, THAT IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO.
I THOUGHT THEY TALKED ABOUT SPENDING 9.1 MILLION ON PLANNING EXTENSIONS.
THEY'RE SPENDING MONEY. IT'S A HEFTY PLANNING GRANT. YAEL, I BET YOU RIDE IT EVERY
DAY. WELL, WE'RE PAYING A LOT FOR IT AT THE STAR, SO I GUESS A
COULD, COFFEE TAX, SALES TAX. IS THIS POSSIBLY THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU'LL RIDE A COUPLE
OF TIMES BECAUSE IT'S IN YOU -- IT'S NEW AND A NOVELTY. OH, NO.
IF YOU LIVE AND WORK DOWNTOWN, I THINK YOU WILL RIDE IT, BECAUSE YOU CAN JUMP ON IT, GO HAVE
LUNCH, GET BACK TO WORK. THERE ST. STILL A POSSIBILITY OF AN APPEAL TO THE STATE
SUPREME COURT BY THE PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE. DO YOU THING THAT'S LIKELY OR
TOO FAR GONE BY NOW? LOOK, I DON'T FOLLOW THE APPEAL CLOSE ENOUGH TO EVEN KNOW
WHAT THE GROUNDS ARE. THE ONLY APPEAL I THOUGHT HAD ANY CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING WAS THE
CLAIM THAT THEY LAID ONE TTD ON ANOTHER AND THAT THAT VIOLATED STATE LAW.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS APPEAL CONTAINS THAT ALLEGATION. IT DID EARLIER, AND THERE IS
ALREADY ONE IN BELTON THAT DOES THE SAME THING. I THINK THE APPEALS COURT
SAID, YOU GOT INTO THIS TOO LATE. YOUR COMPLAINT WAS FILED AFTER
THIS WAS ALL -- YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN EARLIER. AND THE PROBLEM IS, IF YOU
WANT TO DO ANOTHER TTD, THEY DON'T WAIT UNTIL TOO LATE. THE NEXT PLAINTIFF WILL FILE ON
TIME. THEY HAVE UNTIL THE 29th, SO THEN THEY'LL KNOW.
IF YOU THINK YOU'RE PAYING TOO MANY TAX, THIS NEXT STORY MAY NOT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER,
ALTHOUGH GOOD HEALTH IS THE GOAL. A HALF CENTS SALES TAX
QUESTIONED FOR JACKSON COUNTY MAY BE ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. THE 20 YEAR TAX WOULD FINANCE
MEDICAL RESEARCH AT CHILDREN'S MERCY, SAINT LUKE'S AND UMKC. THE GOAL IS TO ATTRACT TOP
RESEARCHERS WHO WOULD FURTHER KANSAS CITY AS A MAJOR LIFE SCIENCE CENTER AND ADVANCED
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH DEFINED AS WAYS TO TURN MEDICAL RESEARCH INTO DRUGS, PROCEDURES AND
DEVICES THAT HELP PATIENTS. JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE MIKE SANDERS IS BACKING THE PLAN.
PART OF THE BIG 5 AGENDA OUTLINED BY THE GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER.
WITH THE BACKING OF BOTH POLITICAL AND CIVIC HEAVYWEIGHTS, IS THIS NEW TAX ON
THE GLIDE PATH TO SUCCESS, MARY? WELL, I HOPE IT'S NOT ON ANY GLIDE PATH YET.
WHAT IS IT, 10 DAYS OLD? GLIDE PATH IS SAM BROWNBACK LANGUAGE.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO STICK TO MISSOURI ON THIS QUESTION. IS IT ON ITS WAY TO BEING
SUCCESSFUL? WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW IS FOR SOME OPPOSITION TO COME FORWARD,
BECAUSE I HOPE IT'S NOT ON ANY GLIDE PATH WITHOUT REALLY SUBSTANTIAL, I MEAN SUBSTANTIAL
CITIZEN DIALOGUE AND DEBATE. THIS IS A WHOPPING BIG TAX. THIS IS A BIG DEAL IN THIS TOWN,
AND THIS IS AN 800 MILLION-DOLLAR TRANSFER OF WEALTH, IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT
THAT WAY, AND IT'S PRIVATE INTEREST PRIMARILY THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM A PUBLIC TAX, SO IT
NEEDS TO BAKE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEADLINE IS AUGUST 29th THAT THE COUNTY
LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS THING, AND THEY WEREN'T INVOLVED IN PUTTING IT
TOGETHER. THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
INSTITUTE, KANSAS CITY TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE INSTITUTE, ARE THE ONES WHO PUT
IT TOGETHER. FINE. THAT'S JUST FINE.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT A YEAR TO CONSIDER IT. NOW, WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?
THE I IUES ARE THE FOLLOWING: SHOULD UMKC, SAINT LUKE'S AND CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL
RECEIVE $800 MILLION OVER 20 YEARS IN SALES TAX REVENUE, AND WHO WILL OVERSEE IT?
WELL, YOU'VE GOT PLENTY OF OVERSEERS. IT'S COMPLICATED.
THERE ARE FIVE NEW BOARDS. COUNT THEM. I DON'T NECESSARILY OPPOSE IT
YET, BECAUSE I'M JUST STARTING. LAST NIGHT, I GOT A Q AND A FROM SOMEONE WORKING ON THE PUBLIC
RELATIONS FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT WE NEED TO DEBATE THIS. UMKC IS ONE OF THE
RECIPIENTS, AND IT'S A PUBLIC ENTITY. UMKC IS, BUT EACH ONE OF
THESE INSTITUTIONS IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN IN-DEPTH RESEARCH. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAS
ARISEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, WHO WILL PAY FOR THE ELECTION?
SOME OF THE COUNTY LEGISLATORS ARE SAYING THE COUNTY SHOULDN'T PAY, AND THE KANSAS CITY STAR
EDITORIALIZED THIS MORNING THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD PAY. I'LL ANSWER THAT REAL
QUICKLY, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC SHOULD PAY. IT'S A PUBLIC ELECTION.
THE PUBLIC ALMOST ALWAYS PAYS, AND JACKSON COUNTY OR JOHNSON COUNTY, ALMOST ANYWHERE.
TO ME, THAT'S A SMALL DEBATE THE THE CIVIC LEADERS CAME IN AND MADE A NICE PRESENTATION ABOUT
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, SAVE MONEY ON LIFESAVING CURES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT OF
PATIENTS. NOBODY IS AGAINST THAT. LET'S START WITH THAT.
HERE IS WHAT I RAISED TODAY AND CONTINUE TO RAISE WITH THE PROPONENTS OF IT, AND THAT IS
SHOW ME PROOF THAT YOU'VE SPENT SOME MONEY IN THE PAST AND DOES THIS.
CHILDREN'S MERCY SUPPOSEDLY, THEY'VE SPENT TENS OF MILLIONS OF BUCKS ON TRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH AND STUFF. I WOULD ASSUME THEY HAVE 5, 8, 10 PATENTS OUT THERE WHERE THEY
SAVE KIDS' LIVES? WHY WOULD I INVEST MORE MONEY I3 SOMETHING IF I DON'T KNOW WHAT
IT'S DONE ALREADY? PART OF THE IDEA IS TO ATTRACT RESEARCHERS TO COME AND
LIVE IN KANSAS CITY. I WOULD SAY THERE IS NO GUARANTEE.
THIS ISN'T NIECELY LIFESAVING CURES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE. LET ME GET GWEN IN. I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT
WHAT MARY SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IS NOT A PUBLIC ENGAGE PROCESS AROUND THIS.
THERE NEEDS TO BE LOTS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE WHAT I'M HEARING IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU
WANT US TO DO A HALF CENT SALES TAX FOR 20 YEARS WHEN FOLKS IN THE URBAN COMMUNITY CAME FORWARD
WITH AN IDEA OF HAVING AN 8-CENT SALES TAX TO REVITALIZE THE PROSPECT CORRIDOR, WHICH IS
CRIME RIDDEN, HAS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WHICH IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM.
THERE WAS PUSHBACK FROM THE SAME COMMUNITY, AND SO PEOPLE ARE FEELING DISILLUSIONED.
PEOPLE ARE FEELING THIS IS UNFAIR. WE NEED TO HAVE FOLKS COME IN
AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE. GWEN, THAT'S SO GREAT,
BECAUSE WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION -- SORRY. JUST A SECOND.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS DOES HAPPEN? QUICKLY, ***.
I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA FOR THE OBVIOUS REASONS ON PRINCIPLE. THE GOVERNMENT IS DECIDING THAT
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS INVEST 20 MILLION IN A PARTICULAR INDUSTRY AND IT WILL YIELD GREAT
BENEFITS, BUT USUALLY IT DOESN'T. I'M GLAD GWEN SAID THIS, BECAUSE
THIS SURFACES THE ACTUAL DEBATE, AND THE REAL PROBLEM ON THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE, WHICH IS
THEY'VE GOT PLANS FOR SALES TAX INCREASES FOR THINGS THEY WANT TO DO, AND THEY'RE AFRAID THIS
IS GOING TO EAT THEM UP, AND THAT DEBATE IS THE ONE WE NEED TO HAVE.
NOW, IT IS TIME FOR ROASTS AND TOASTS WHERE THE RUCKETTES COMMEND OR CONDEMN PEOPLE AND
EVENTS IN THE NEWS, AND WE START WITH YAEL. WELL, I'LL HAVE TO ROAST CITY
COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL BROOKS FOR GETTING INVOLVED IN WHAT HE NOW ACKNOWLEDGES WAS AN
INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIP, SOME KIND OF SEXTING SCANDAL. WE WILL FOLLOW THE PAPER TRAIL
TO SEE WHETHER IT HAD MORE INVOLVEMENT WITH PUBLIC FUNDS. A VERY BAD DAY FOR THE COUNCIL
MEMBER. I'D LIKE TO TOAST THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER
QUALITY, WHICH HAS DONE A STUDY. IF YOU ALREADY HAD A FAIRLY LOW OPINION OF THOSE COLLEGES, AS I
DID, YOU'LL BE SHOCKED TO FIND IT'S WORSE THAN YOU THOUGHT. WITH THAT COMES A ROAST FOR THE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, WHICH ACTUALLY WENT TO COURT TO CONCEAL WHAT IT DOES IN ITS
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION FROM THE NATIONAL COUNCIL SO THAT YOU AND I WOULDN'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE
DOING TEACHER EDUCATION IN OUR STATE UNIVERSITY. I WANT TO TOAST THE FEDERAL
JUDGE IN NEW YORK WHO STRUCK DOWN THE STOP AND FRISK LAWS WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN RACIAL
PROFILING IN NEW YORK, WHICH HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS
WHO ARE SIMPLY WALKING IN MANHATTAN AND OTHER AREAS IN NEW YORK, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL SEND
A MESSAGE ACROSS THE NATION THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO IMPROVE THE
DISPARITIES AND INEQUITIES THAT EXIST. I HAVE A HAPPY TOAST FOR A
WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE, STARTING WITH MAYOR SLY JAMES, WHO APPOINTED MIKE BURKE AND DR. RAY
DANIELS TO THE MAYOR'S BI-STATE INNOVATION TEAM A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND THEY COLLABORATED WITH
INDUSTRY SPRINT AND GOOGLE AND OTHERS TO DEVELOP SOMETHING CALLED THE DIGITAL INCLUSION
FUND, WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY. IT'S A REALLY POSITIVE THING.
A MILLION DOLLARS GOING INTO THIS FUND, AND IT WILL GO TO REALLY DO SOMETHING CONCRETE FOR
THE 25%, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, OF PEOPLE IN KCK AND KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS
TO BROAD BAND, REAL PROGRESS. I ENJOY LISTENING TO A BROAD BAND.
AND FINALLY, A VERY SINCERE ROAST OF THOMAS NEWHOUSE, A SHAWNEE RESIDENT WHO
PURPOSEFULLY DROWNED HIS CAT IN ITS CARRIER WHILE OTHERS WATCHED, INCLUDING CHILDREN.
THE CAT HAD APPARENTLY SCRATCHED AND BITTEN NEWHOUSE'S FIANCE. SOME CLERK IN MISSOURI LAW MADE
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PROSECUTOR TO BRING ANY CHARGES PROMOTING A PUBLIC OUTCRY, AS IT SHOULD
HAVE. HE SAID, DISAPPOINTED ANIMAL LOVERS SHOULD ASK STATE
LEGISLATORS TO MODIFY THE ANIMAL ABUSE LAW. I THANK HIM FOR HIS EFFORTS AND
CERTAINLY SECOND HIS MOTION. THAT IS RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK. WE'RE OFF NEXT WEEK, BACK ON THE
29th. NOW, ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES AND THE RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE --
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