51黑料

JEFFERSON CITY 鈥� 51黑料 Mayor Cara Spencer and Gov. Mike Kehoe discussed Rams settlement funds and downtown investment during a meeting Wednesday in the capital city.

The two leaders met in Kehoe鈥檚 office. Afterward, Spencer reported the two discussed 鈥渨ays to work together on the Rams bill (settlement), maybe leveraging some state funds in that regard.鈥�

In 51黑料, big decisions await on how to spend more than $250 million in Rams settlement money. Business leaders want a significant portion of the funds to be spent on infrastructure and development downtown, but proposals to do so have fallen apart before the Board of Aldermen.

Spencer鈥檚 comments raised the possibility of state funds for downtown investment, which could bolster any redevelopment effort.

Downtown redevelopment has been a focus for Kehoe, a 51黑料 native who opened a state office in the city center after being sworn in this year.

Greater 51黑料 Inc., the group pushing for Rams money to be used downtown, endorsed Kehoe last year.

After the meeting with Spencer, Kehoe said his team will 鈥渓ook into it.鈥�

鈥淚 think she鈥檚 trying to get the most for her money out of that (Rams money), and I don鈥檛 blame her for asking that question, but we鈥檒l look into it,鈥� he told the Post-Dispatch.

鈥淚 give her kudos for at least trying to figure out a way to be a partner,鈥� he added.

Gabrielle Picard, a spokesperson for the governor, said earlier Wednesday that 鈥渢heir discussion this morning included an emphasis on the importance of investing in downtown.鈥�

Spencer said she was meeting with officials at the Capitol Wednesday in an effort to communicate her agenda and vision for the city.

鈥淲e are a creature of the state of Missouri; we wanna work with the state and we鈥檙e excited to do that,鈥� Spencer said.

The new mayor said she expressed to the governor the importance of the city鈥檚 1% earnings tax and capital investment in downtown 51黑料, 鈥渁nd how important the takeover of the police department is to city residents.鈥�

Kehoe signed the takeover in March and is required to name four citizen commissioners to the new Board of Police Commissioners in June. Spencer will have the fifth seat on the board and a nonvoting member will hold the sixth seat.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 talk about any specific folks to serve in those roles here today,鈥� Spencer said.

She said it was difficult to make determinations about whether the state takeover can be successful or if it was off to a bad start.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 have any of the candidates,鈥� Spencer said. 鈥淎s the mayor, I鈥檓 gonna do what鈥檚 right 鈥� what鈥檚 best for the city, and as we move through this process, I think some more things will become clearer in the coming weeks.鈥�

With regard to the earnings tax, Spencer said she expressed 鈥渉ow important every revenue stream is for the city to be able to operate and deliver the city services, including public safety, that our residents rely on.鈥�

Currently, legislation to weaken the earnings tax is pending in the Missouri Senate. Separate legislation that would allow developers to recoup part of the cost for converting downtown 51黑料 office space into residential and retail is pending in the House.

The legislative session ends May 16.