Tony’s Kansas City

So the latest rumor that’s going around City Hall is not only damaging to the reputation of Kansas City but also demonstrates that the “Orange Revolution” was nothing more than a twisted little lie.

The talk is plain and it comes at the expense of Mayor Funkhouser’s integrity:

CITY HALL DENIZENS ARE SAYING THAT THE MAYOR FUNKHOUSER AND HIS WIFE ARE LOOKING FOR KANSAS CITY LAWYERS TO REPRESENT THEM PRO BONO IN THE MAMMY-GATE CASE, THESE SAME LAWYERS MIGHT ALREADY HAVE A CONNECTION TO CITY HALL!!!

TKC doesn’t do legal reporting or much reporting at all so I don’t know if the rumors are correct . . . But the talk is undeniably out there . . . And A LOT of people at City Hall are questioning Mayor Funky’s ethics and integrity.

What’s more important to me is that this serious charge is commonplace at City Hall and very few people really have a problem believing it. This kind of talk demonstrates that Mayor Funky has alienated a great many City Hall workers and they don’t particularly like or trust him.

If the Mayor was smart he might actually make a move to answer the speculation and quiet the rumors . . . Sadly, at this point the Co-Mayors won’t answer many questions and seem to be completely on the defensive.

DEVELOPING . . .

In just a few minutes I’ll be on KC’s Morning News talking about Kansas City blogs with EJ and Ellen.

We’ll be covering a lot of things related to the local blogosphere . . . Other than everyone’s contempt for Phill Kline.

That Star reports that Alan L. Hill, who suffered severe injuries when viciously attacked by a group of pit bulls two years ago, was awarded $7.25 million by a Jackson County judge Tuesday . . . Other than hamburgers served at the P&L District, Hill is now the most expensive entrée in Kansas City.

Funkhouser rejects Chastain request to address council . . . TKC is actually kind of envious because I’ve been wanting to tell Clay Chastain to shut up for about 4 years.

Still, the dude who got Kansas City into this mess might have an interesting perspective worth listening to . . . And refusing someone the right to speak never looks good in a Democracy . . . Especially given that Chastain started this light rail train wreck in the first place.

Men Rob Video Game Store in South KC . . . I’m blaming Grand Theft Auto but only because I’ve yet to play it and I’m a little jealous.

The city of North Kansas City approved a smoking ban during the Tuesday, June 10 meeting . . . Now the air in restaurants will be slightly less nasty than what they’re breathing outside in that part of town.

Poker Player Passes On Good Luck To Others . . . Whereas bankruptcy lawyers are a bit more helpful.

Apparently, Kansas City is going to pick up the tab for Mayor Funky’s stubbornness and lack of judgment.

Squitiro’s volunteer status clouds city’s liability in lawsuit

RDM files an excellent post on the subject: Here.

The only thing I have to add is that Mayor Funky was told time and time again that his wife would be a problem. He proved too stubborn to convince, it’ll cost Kansas City.

TKC had to do this post twice . . . Fortunately, these are the bests posts I’ve read from the local blogosphere and they were worth it:

• A welcomed blogger treatise from Brad: A few great reasons not to blog!!!
• The Kansas Citian offers a memorable quote from Phill Kline. If only he would have kept his word.
• Jay Bird just tears Phill Kline’s candidacy apart.
• Killer Post from KC Talk: “It’s Time to Vote Against Phill Kline. Again.”
• Follow-up: The KC Blue Blog offers a bit more coverage of Obama’s so-called “terrorist fist jab” or lack thereof.
• Probably one of the best blogger confessionals I’ve read all week from Plaza Jen.
• An excellent El Salvadorian foodie review from Pom.
• RDM on why po’folk should be prepared for more company at local food pantries.

Blogger is busted today . . . This is just a quick post to tell everybody that I’ll still be posting and providing the wonderful, wonderful content that we’ve all come to expect.

Ugh.

Here’s a photo gallery of Louise Glover to tide you over . . . Jackals.

One of the main points of Mayor Funky’s proposal for the 2008-09 budget is a reduction of city staff by 220. He claims this would allow for $11 million to be reallocated on higher priority expenditures, such as street repaving.

Never mind the fact that those kind of promises rarely happen and he’d be lucky to use the extra cash to pay off the interest on all of the bonds this town is servicing. Ew.

Even worse . . . The budget situation is really bad considering that two white women on the Council are now getting involved . . .

The Deb Hermann Jan - Marcason compromise mostly gives in to every one of Mayor Funky’s demands with only a slight bit of resistance . . . Very much like most white women when faced with the prospect of staying with a rich, abusive husband or having to fend for themselves. I guess Oprah doesn’t pay the bills in the end.

Anyhoo . . . What concerns me is that City Hall employees are being cut loose without much concern.

There’s always a lot of rhetoric when it comes to this issue but in the long run THE ABSENCE OF THOSE EMPLOYEES REPRESENTS A BASIC CUTBACK OF CITY SERVICES!!!

Like it or not, these cuts will have an outcome most people don’t like . . . I notice the people who back Mayor Funky are mostly from the outlying suburbs but in this instance his panicky budget crisis WILL have an impact on people in Kansas City and the services on which they rely.

Once again, the Mayor’s childlike stubbornness and inability to form a consensus will cost the people of Kansas City. If Mayor Funky was really interested in leading by example or showing this town that he was serious about trimming the budget in an equitable manner maybe he might consider cutting salaries in his own office . . . Which just happens to be one of the most overpaid and pricey in recent memory.

Gentrification takes it’s toll on people throughout this nation and interestingly enough . . . It comes into play in case involving one of Kansas City’s most prolific crime-fighting activists.

Millennium Films plans to break ground on its $10 million studio in Ledbetter Heights at the end of March or beginning of April.

The groundbreaking comes nearly eight months after the company leased 6.7 acres of city-owned property for the project and applied for state tax credits offered to the film industry . . .

One family has sued the city over the issue. Angela Washington Thomas, Millie Washington and Alonzo Washington, who live in Kansas, contend the city’s offer of $3,000 for the family home at 414 Douglas St. is far below market value.

They rejected the city’s offer and proposed a price of $30,000, citing their purchase price of $16,000 in 1984, the current tax assessment of $25,000 and insurance coverage valuing the property at $60,000.

The city turned down the family’s counteroffer. The family sued in February to halt the process. Local and state laws allow people to ask a judge to set property value if a property owner believes an offer isn’t fair.

Check out the newspaper article for more background.

Click below for the press release that pretty much proves that Kansas City isn’t the only place that has kicked people to the curb in order to dispense corporate welfare:
[Read more →]

• Firefighter’s Death Could Lead to Murder Charge
  Has it already been 20 years since the last time public outcry created a need for a bunch of poor people to be convicted on flimsy evidence in the name of “closure?”
• This will be the last time you’ll hear about a missing Latino dude in the local media.
• Man Found Shot to Death in Burned Home
• A big day for former Mayor Barnes.
  I guess she deserved it . . . At least her reign didn’t include barefoot romps through City Hall.
• Mo. unemployment rate inches up to 5.5 percent
• Business licenses for Kansas City ticket scalpers
  Because if something generates revenue for the government, that automatically means it’s not harmful whatsoever!!!
• “Young, Gifted and Black,” a special segment of the Jazz Poetry Jam series at the Blue Room
  Pretty neat, if you can stay awake.

Here’s some of the best stuff in the local blogosphere I’m reading:

• Nobody went to he St. Paddy’s Day parade
• Happy 1000 posts to RDM!!!
• Hipster slide show!!!
• NEW BLOG: Blundering Numbskullery!!! A great read.

Local soccer bloggers are out in full force in order to support the pricey TIF that Mayor Funky flip-flopped on . . . A local blogger has recently posted the full TIF plan for the 3 Trails Development on his blog.

My favorite soccer blog Down the Byline notes that the entire stadium cost will be “only” $46 million.

Normally, this wouldn’t be such a bad thing if we weren’t talking about a team with one one of THE WORST ATTENDANCE RANKINGS IN ALL OF MAJOR LEAGUE (HEH) SOCCER.

Sadly, if Kansas City hasn’t adopted a significant fan base for this semi-sport in the past 20 years since it has been pushed on high school dorks too the ghey to play a real sport . . . It’s simply not going to catch on anymore than it already has . . . Already, part of the “promotion” of this activity is to simply get people drunk and drop them off at the stadium.

Again, not a bad idea . . . I only hope they have enough booze to make unsuspecting soccer fans leave behind $40 million for a completely impractical idea.

A few of you may have a different opinion on this one . . . But I’m just putting this out there . . . The fact that an armed security guard can give chase and get in a potentially deadly altercation with me because I’ve maybe stolen some snack cakes or because he thinks I’m smuggling sausage in my underpants (I am) . . . That kinda scares me.

So, while I’m glad that a local security guard is doing fine after getting in a completely unnecessary scrape with some kid that was killed . . . There are still some doubts in my mind. Even more so after learning that Jackson County isn’t pressing charges!!! That’s probably the best decision but it doesn’t inspire confidence and frankly I doubt I’ll be buying or even shoplifting anything from that Brookside store again.

Disrespect for the rights of the deceased (and their families) started with Bodies Revealed in this town and now it marks KC business interests as local officials consider moving four homestead cemeteries near Kansas City International Airport to make way for economic development.

Normally, I’m not a very superstitious person but this kind thing is always in the opening scene of so many of my favorite scary movies like Poltergeist and When Harry met Sally.

Also, I like the concept of Karma not only because I just started watching “My Name is Earl” but also because it seems pretty close to the “Golden Rule” philosophy (I think).

Anyhoo . . . Once again it’s revealed that Kansas City is home to a great many grave robbers or people who couldn’t care less about consent when it comes to cadavers in order to turn a buck.

I’m not saying that this town is full of potential necrophiliacs but that kind of practice isn’t really much of a stretch (Ew) considering what little regard Kansas City has for the dearly departed.

The Kansas House recently gave an early nod to bill to deter late-term abortions . . . And it’s not like I’m a big fan of “late-term abortions” (I even threw away my celebratory pro-abortion t-shirt that read: “Abortion Clinics bring out the kid in you“) . . . Still, it’s hard to see this move as anything more than moralistic meddling in a patients rights, a doctor’s decision making and yet another opportunity to deny medical care.

Kansas City hasn’t heard this many excuses since the guy was asked to provide proof of residence . . . Still, Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline said attorneys for murder defendant Edwin Hall challenged his handling of the case to divert attention from evidence against their client.

Strangely, having Jesus on his side still isn’t enough to slam dunk this seemingly straightforward case.

Obviously, there’s a lot on the line in this circumstance and while anti-abortion devotees are willing to do almost anything to prop up their favorite politico . . . People who want a conviction in this case probably aren’t going to cut Kline a lot of slack.

Coincidentally, it’s nice to see that Kline knows he can always get his story out when it comes to the local media given that they are a lot less challenging or inquisitive than officials in courtrooms.

. . . Probably for the worse . . . Still, I’m flirting with going back to blogger again because I’m just so accustomed to the old way of doing things.

It could be just a simple lack of posts on this new blog that’s the cause of my low search ranking but it’s damn annoying.

Change is hard . . . I’ve had to change my conception of Jennifer Aniston several times given that sometimes she’s kinda hot and other times her face looks like leftover ham.

Still, TKC soldiers on . . . I don’t like days without posts and I’m doing my best to keep them coming (NO HOMO!).