Cutting Tour of Missouri: Sound saving or political swipe?
Kinder at last year's tour
Jeff City guru Tony Messenger and Kathleen Nelson, the Post-Dispatch’s cycling scribe, teamed up for a story today on the possible cancellation of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race.
Those who follow Missouri politics know that the annual contest has been a personal — and political — goodwill tour for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who’s championed the race since its inception.
This year’s race had been scheduled for Sept. 7-13, but then came a roadblock: Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration has suggested cutting the $1.5 million state allocation for the race.
On one hand, the cuts make sense in an austere budget year, when Nixon’s staff is trying to find ways not to cut state services and education. On the other, the race is enjoyed by thousands of Missourians at a time when cycling continues to increase in popularity.
The political context, of course, is that Kinder is Nixon’s presumed rival in 2012.
So, what say you? Take our poll below.
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Politics pure and simple.
Nixon payback nothing more…
The state budget is a consideration. I love the race and want Missouri to keep it. I would like to know if the state of Iowa invests in RAGBRAI? That’s a week long 14,000 person bike ride across Iowa. It’s a fun event for seasoned bikers and novices. Iowa towns lust to participate. The last time I did it even Lance made an appearance. Keeping our tour should be a priority.
I think the state should fund their part this year. After that, funding the Tour should be studied closely. What are the alternatives. Is corporate sponsorship the way to go?
Ridiculous… the communities along the route have invested and incredible amount of time and money toward hosting this event which has hotels filled up with out of state guests. If you believe the state should have a department of tourism, then this is one of the biggest wins ever for the state. If you don’t believe it is a good investment for the state, make the decision before the communities and citizens have ante their part of the bill.
Our state spends money to promote all sorts of tourism. This is just one facet of that. Of course, when Nixon finds out that most of the owners and workers in Branson are Republican, he’ll probably cut any funding to promote tourism there too.
I have not conducted any studies, but I would be very surprised if the race does not pay for itself in the sales and hotel tax revenues that it generates. I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, so I have no interest in giving Lt Gov Kinder any advantage, but I would hate to see such a fine cycling event lose out just because it kinda-sorta helps Gov Nixon’s rival. Really, Gov Nixon, you are too good a man to stoop to this sort of pettiness, budget deficits or no.
Okay folks, whether you’re interested in biking or not, it’s a matter of simple math. The Tour bring about $25 million in revenue to our fine state and we pay a mere $1.5 million. If you cannot figure that, that is a profit, you are not intelligent enough to vote! SO PLEASE DON’T.
A lot of ventures make money, but do they require the govt to invest in them? No, this is why we have capitalism–so that proposals that have the best chance of success are backed by people who have the most to lose–ie., their own money. Surely, in the spirit of a govt that focus on what it needs to do, the idea of public support for a bike race is rather silly.
I cannot believe state capitol rookie Tony Messenger is referred to as a Jefferson City guru. What does that make his boss, the 20 year Jefferson City veteran Virginia Young? The Dalai Lama of the Missouri River?
We have money for a bike race but not for healthcare for children. We should all be ashamed.
This is politics. One has only to look at the FiredUp blog to see how much they’ve invested in attacking Kinder.
My question is what Jeff Mazur, whose funding for his position in the Nixon Administration was pulled from the state budget by the House but reinstated by the Senate, is doing posting on this question while he’s on the government payroll.
This is a political shot, and it’s going to be exposed.