Jackson County Use Tax FAIL Risks Future Downtown Royals Stadium

In the aftermath of an upset defeat for the proposed Jackson County "use tax" there is one conclusion that should be obvious to even casual denizens of the discourse . . . 

THE COURTHOUSE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT CRISIS HAS CLEARLY SPARKED TAXPAYER REVOLT!!!

A few things to consider the morning after . . .

- Insiders advise us not to let Exec Frank White take credit for this victory. Let's remember that he ALSO wanted to pass a use tax but sought his own priorities in his legislation that was voted down. 

- Eastern Jackson County Voters deserve all the accolades for this upset victory . . . Resistance to this tax started in Eastern Jack with "Recall Frank" organizers and otherwise reliable votes in the urban core simply weren't enough to overcome taxpayer frustration from the suburbs. 

- Like it or not . . . This is a LOSS FOR THE JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATURE . . . They worked to garner the upper-hand against the Executive but promoting yet another courthouse tax misunderstood public sentiment. 

- Don't underestimate this defeat and tax fighter antipathy toward the courthouse . . . The bus tax passed on this same ballot for much of the Jackson County electorate . . . That means the voters sent a DIRECT MESSAGE back to elected officials that they're tired of signing away more of their hard earned cash and getting nothing in return.

And this brings us to our main point . . . 

- Going forward . . . If the Legislature & the Exec can't get their heads together on courthouse repair, then the complexities of a downtown stadium deal might also be out of reach. Even worse, in the aftermath of the property tax debacle . . . There seems to be little will for taxpayers to fund BILLIONS for stadiums and entertainment districts. 

Developing . . .