Kansas Legislators Advance Bipartisan Tax Reform Measures in House
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – After a lengthy discussion Tuesday night, Kansas House members advanced major tax reform Wednesday with unanimous bipartisan support. The Kansas News Service reports that representatives from both parties clapped, shook hands and patted each other on the back after reaching a breakthrough on tax relief. The bill would combine the state’s three tax brackets into just two – rather than the single rate vetoed by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly in January. The first $7,000 of a person’s income would be exempt from state taxes. Democratic Representative Tom Sawyer said, “We have a good, strong position in the House that benefits all Kansans. I think we can be very proud of the work we did today.” The bill also includes state property tax relief and an increase to the standard deduction. Kelly previously said a dual rate system was not her “preference”. It’s unclear if she would sign the bill if it also passes the Senate.
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House Approves Proposal to Restrict Foreign Ownership of Kansas Land
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Kansas House has approved a bill restricting foreign entities from acquiring property in the state. The measure creates the Kansas Land and Military Installation Protection Act, which prohibits citizens or agents from “countries of concerns” from purchasing non-residential property within 150 miles of any military installation. WIBW TV reports that Attorney General Kris Kobach has been leading the effort to restrict foreign ownership of Kansas land. He says he appreciate the House bill but hopes changes can be made to the legislation. As written, Kobach think the bill would be hard to defend in court and he's hoping changes can be made in a a conference committee of the House and Senate. Kobach wants a blanket ban on foreign acquisitions of more than three acres and a bill that limits foreign leases to two years or less.
(–Additional reporting–)
Kansas Considers Limits on Economic Activity with China and Other 'Countries of Concern'
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas advanced proposals Wednesday aimed at preventing individuals and companies from China and other U.S. adversaries from owning farmland or business property, limiting state investments in foreign companies and restricting the use of foreign-made drones.
Some GOP conservatives, including state Attorney General Kris Kobach, want the state to enact even tougher restrictions, even as Democratic critics suggest the measures are fueled by xenophobia.
Kansas already limits corporate ownership of agricultural land, and more than 20 other states restrict foreign land ownership, according to the National Agricultural Law Center. Supporters of such measures argue that they protect military installations and U.S. citizens from spying and other national security risks.
The Republican-controlled Kansas House approved three bills addressing activities by individuals and companies from “countries of concern" — China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Venezuela — and groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.
Under one bill, if their citizens own more than 10% of a firm, the firm couldn't own farmland or business property within 150 miles of a U.S. military or National Guard base or property owned by any other U.S. or state agency critical to security — enough installations that all of Kansas is covered.
Another bill would require the state to divest from companies with ties to the listed nations. A third would prohibit state and local agencies from acquiring drones with “critical components” made in those nations — and require agencies, including law enforcement, to replace drones with those components within five years.
“It is inappropriate for our state to allocate resources to countries that present substantial obstacles to human rights, international stability and our national security,” said Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, of Wichita, the chair of committees on pensions, banking and state investments.
The votes were 85-38 on the state investment measure, 84-39 on the foreign land ownership proposal and 83-40 on the bill dealing with drones, and all three measures go next to the GOP-controlled state Senate. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has not said what she will do, but the House votes suggested that backers could have the two-thirds majority there to override a veto.
Eighty of the House's 85 Republicans voted “yes” on all three bills, while 36 of the 40 Democrats voted “no.”
Some Democrats argued during debates Tuesday that Republicans were stoking anti-China sentiment, and Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat, compared the land ownership bill to decades-past U.S. policies discriminating against Asian Americans or Asian immigrants.
A Kansas State University report for lawmakers last fall said foreign individuals or companies had an interest in only 2.4% of the state's 49 million acres of privately owned agricultural land, and more than 94% of it could be attributed to land leased for solar or wind farms. Chinese ownership accounted for only a single acre, the report said.
“This has turned into Asian Prejudice Day in the Kansas Legislature, and it's not a proud moment," Democratic Rep. John Carmichael, of Wichita, said during Tuesday's debates.
But the bills' supporters rejected allegations that the measures were xenophobic or racist. Hoeheisel said they are justified by the nations' human rights abuses. For example, in explaining his “yes” vote on the investments measure, he described Iran as a place “where women are subjected to stoning merely for being seen in public with a male who's not a relative.”
And Rep. Patrick Penn, another Wichita Republican, said the land-ownership bill would protect families by “seeking the truth" about “those who would seek to harm us.”
“Let's investigate. Let's know the truth. Let's be free,” Penn said.
Kobach has proposed barring any foreign national from owning more than 3 acres of property in Kansas and setting up a new State Land Council with the power to review individual cases and make exceptions. The proposal remains stuck in a Senate committee, having inspired opposition from business and agriculture groups.
When Kobach unveiled his proposal during a Statehouse news conference in February, he said it was more likely than other proposals to lead to investigations of who's buying Kansas land.
“That flat prohibition then requires individuals to come to the state and ask for an exception,” he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic critics argued that the land ownership bill wouldn't prevent spying and other threats to national security but would instead boomerang on immigrant small business owners waiting to become U.S. citizens.
“To the extent that there is a problem, much of it could be addressed by our existing prohibition on corporate ownership of farmland,” said Democratic Rep. Boog Highberger, from Lawrence.
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Kansas House Approves Special Ed Funding Increase
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – The Kansas House narrowly approved a bill Wednesday that would increase funding for special education. But opponents say it uses accounting tricks. The Kansas News Service reports that the measure would increase special-ed funding by requiring districts to shift about $130 million of local property tax money toward special education. Republican Rep. Dave Younger is a former superintendent from Ulysses. He thinks the measure would shortchange schools and does not amount to more funding. “Using local property tax to pay for special-ed funding is not a viable option. Any other calculation is voodoo math,” he said. The House bill would also require schools to create an accountability plan for at-risk students and report progress to the State Board of Education.
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Kansas Legislators Pass a Bill to Require Providers to Ask Patients Why They Want Abortions
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators gave final approval Tuesday to a bill that would require Kansas abortion providers to ask their patients why they want to terminate their pregnancies and then report the answers to the state. The Senate approved the bill 27-13 after the House approved it earlier this month, sending the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. She is a strong abortion rights supporter and is expected to veto the bill, but supporters appear to have exactly the two-thirds majorities in both chambers they would need to override a veto.
At least eight states require similar reporting, but none of them has had a statewide vote on abortion rights as Kansas did in August 2022. In the first state ballot question on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, voters decisively protected abortion rights under the state constitution.
Democrats are frustrated because Republicans and anti-abortion groups have pursued new rules for abortion providers despite the 2022 vote. But supporters of the reporting bill say it would give the state better data that would help legislators make policy decisions.
The bill would require providers to ask patients 11 questions about their reasons for terminating a pregnancy, including that they can’t afford another child, raising a child would hinder their education or careers, or a spouse or partner wanted her to have an abortion. A woman would not be required to answer, however.
The bill also would require providers to report each patient's age, marital status, race and education level, while using a “confidential code” for each patient so that they wouldn’t be identified to the state. The state would be barred for at least five years from identifying the abortion providers in the data it publishes.
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Critics Say Bill Moving Through Statehouse Could Open Door to "Fetal Personhood" Measures
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Several bills backed by anti-abortion groups are moving through the Kansas Legislature. The Kansas News Service reports that critics worry one could make it easier to enact anti-abortion laws in the future. The bill would let pregnant women collect child support payments from the father beginning at the date of conception. Supporters say it’ll help moms pay for pregnancy-related medical expenses. But critics say it’s an effort to codify a legal concept known as fetal personhood, which is a long-term goal of the anti-abortion movement. That concept was the basis of an Alabama court ruling last month that temporarily blocked some fertility services in the state … before lawmakers protected them. Kansas House lawmakers passed the bill this week, sending it to the Senate.
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U.S. Supreme Court's Mifepristone Case Could Affect Kansas Medical Providers
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas abortion providers say a case before the U.S. Supreme Court could force doctors to adopt a less effective and more painful medication abortion regimen. The Kansas News Service reports that abortion opponents argue the FDA erred in approving the abortion pill mifepristone, a drug that is used in nearly 60% of Kansas abortions. Emily Wales with Planned Parenthood Great Plains says doctors can pivot to a different medication protocol, but it has drawbacks. “It’s still very safe, but it’s slightly less effective. And, more importantly, it puts patients through additional cramping, a different physical experience,” she said, adding that the medication availability changes could force more patients to seek follow-up care. That would come at a time when providers are already overwhelmed by demand for abortions from patients living in states with abortion bans. The court is expected to issue a decision this summer.
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Kansas Moves to Require Porn Sites to Verify Website Visitors' Ages
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is poised to require pornography websites to verify visitors are adults, a move that would follow Texas and a handful of other states despite concerns about privacy and how broadly the law could be applied.
The Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed the proposal Tuesday, sending it to Democratic Governor Laura Kelly. The House voted for it 92-31 and the Senate approved it unanimously last month. Kelly hasn't announced her plans, but she typically signs bills with bipartisan backing, and supporters have enough votes to override a veto anyway.
At least eight states have enacted age-verification laws since 2022 — Texas, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Utah and Virginia, and lawmakers have introduced proposals in more than 20 other states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures and an analysis from The Associated Press of data from the Plural bill-tracking service.
Weeks ago, a federal appeals court upheld the Texas age-verification requirement as constitutional and a the Oklahoma House sent a similar measure to the state Senate.
Supporters argue that they're protecting children from widespread pornography online. Oklahoma Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, a sponsor of the legislation in his state, said pornography is dramatically more available now than when “there might be a sixth-grade boy who would find a Playboy magazine in a ditch somewhere.”
“What is commonplace in our society is for a child to be alone with their digital device in their bedroom,” said Hasenbeck, a Republican representing a rural southwest Oklahoma district.
In Kansas, some critics questioned whether the measure would violate free speech and press rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment. Last year, that issue was raised in a federal lawsuit over the Texas law from the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry.
A three-judge panel of the conservative, New Orleans-based Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that Texas' age-verification requirement did not violate the First Amendment. The judges concluded that such a law can stand as long as a state has a rational basis for it and states have a legitimate interest in blocking minors' access to pornography.
The Kansas bill would make it a violation of state consumer protection laws for a website to fail to verify that a Kansas visitor is 18 if the website has material “harmful to minors.” The attorney general then could go to court seeking a fine of up to $10,000 for each violation. Parents also could sue for damages of at least $50,000.
Under an existing Kansas criminal law, material is harmful to minors if it involves “nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sadomasochistic abuse.”
But critics of the bill, mostly Democrats, argued that the law could be interpreted broadly enough that LGBTQ+ teenagers could not access information about sexual orientation or gender identity because the legal definition of sexual conduct includes acts of “homosexuality.” That means “being who we are” is defined as harmful to minors, said Rep. Brandon Woodard, who is gay and a Kansas City-area Democrat.
Woodard also said opponents don't understand "how technology works.” He said people could bypass an age-verification requirement by accessing pornography through the dark web or unregulated social media sites.
Other lawmakers questioned whether the state could prevent websites based outside Kansas from retaining people's personal information. “The information used to verify a person’s age could fall into the hands of entities who could use it for fraudulent purposes,” said southeastern Kansas Rep. Ken Collins, one of two Republicans to vote against the bill.
Yet even critics acknowledged parents and other constituents have a strong interest in keeping minors from seeing pornography. Another southeastern Kansas Republican, Rep. Chuck Smith, chided the House because it didn't approve the bill unanimously, as the Senate did. “Kids need to be protected," he said. "Everybody in here knows what pornography is — everybody.”
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Kansas Legislators Approve More Specialty License Plates
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas lawmakers approved several new specialty license plates Tuesday, but at least one representative says the trend should stop. The Kansas News service reports that the bill headed to Governor Laura Kelly’s desk would create plates showcasing the Kansas City Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC and Kansas City Current teams. Other new designs honor zoos in Wichita and Topeka, and there’s a new “Support the Troops” license plate. Republican Rep. Tory Blew of Great Bend was one of 20 lawmakers who opposed the measure, saying the state has enough specialty license plates. “At this point, let your kid draw on your license plate, and we can move on with this. But every year we have these. So make it stop. I vote no,” she said. Kansas currently offers more than 50 specialty plates. They include designs for state universities, military veterans and groups such as Special Olympics and the Kansas Horse Council.
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Man Cuffed but Not Charged After Chiefs' Super Bowl Rally Shooting Sues Congressman over Online Post
MISSION, Kan. (AP) — A man who was briefly handcuffed in the chaos that followed a deadly shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl rally is suing a Tennessee congressman who falsely accused him in social media posts of being one of the shooters and an immigrant in the country illegally.
Denton Loudermill Jr., of Olathe filed the federal lawsuit this week against U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, alleging that the remarks were “highly offensive, derogatory in the extreme, and defamatory.”
Burchett, a Republican, is serving his third term representing a district in east Tennessee. His spokeswoman, Rachel Partlow, said the office doesn’t comment on pending or active litigation.
The Feb. 14 shooting outside the historic Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri, killed a well-known DJ and injured more than 20 others, many of them children. Loudermill, who is not among those charged, is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
The suit says that when gunfire erupted, Loudermill froze, standing in the middle of the chaos so long that police had put up crime scene tape when he finally walked away.
As he tried to go under the tape to leave, officers stopped him and told him he was moving “too slow.” They handcuffed him and put him on a curb, where people began taking pictures and posting them on social media, the suit says.
Loudermill ultimately was led away from the area and told he was free to go.
The suit says that Loudermill, who was born and raised in the U.S., was never detained, cited or arrested in the shooting. The suit stresses that he had no involvement and didn't know any of the teens or young adults who argued before gunfire erupted.
But the next day, a picture of Loudermill was posted on Burchett's account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Above the picture were the words: “One of the Kansas City Chiefs victory parade shooters has been identified as an illegal Alien.”
A follow-up post on Feb. 18 blamed incorrect news reports for the “illegal alien” identification. But the post, which was included in the lawsuit, still described the cuffed man seated on the curb as “one of the shooters.”
The suit alleges the “false assertions” were reposted and widely circulated to more than 1 million people worldwide.
The suit describes Loudermill as a car wash employee — not a public figure — and a “contributing member of his African-American family, a family with deep and long roots in his Kansas community.”
The suit says he received death threats and experienced periods of “anxiety, agitation, and sleep disruption.”
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Kansas State University Gets Millions in Federal Funding for Its Salina Campus
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Kansas State University will receive more than $30 million in federal funding for its Salina campus. The K-State Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus says it will use the funding to expand the training of pilots, aeronautical engineers and aviation mechanics. Most of the money will go toward construction of the Aerospace Education Hub. It will include an advanced composites laboratory and a research center. K-State also received a grant to train pilots for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA.
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Will Raising Legislative Pay Encourage More Kansans to Run for Office? We'll Soon Find Out
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas lawmakers are set to receive a major pay raise in 2025, bringing their salary to nearly $60,000 a year. Some lawmakers say the pay raise is the key to recruiting more young and working class people to the Legislature. Currently, rank-and-file Kansas legislators make about $30,000 per year. That includes both a salary and a per diem, which covers daily expenses. Starting next year, that will nearly double to $58,000 – at the suggestion of an independent commission on lawmaker pay. Legislators created the panel to study their pay and make a recommendation, partly to make it look less like they were giving themselves a raise.
Proponents of the raise, like Republican Rep. Tory Marie Blew, say the current pay often prevents average, working-aged people from running for the Legislature, especially younger people and those with a more modest income. “Paying somebody not even $100 a day, you’re not going to have a true citizen legislature because only those independently wealthy can do it,” Blew said. Blew is one of the youngest members of the Kansas House. Now in her seventh year as a lawmaker, she was elected at just 23 years old. To help make ends meet, she works another 20-hour job from Friday to Sunday in her hometown of Great Bend. (Read more.)
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Honey Production Increases in U.S. for First Time in Three Years
UNDATED (HPM) - Honeybees across the United States produced more honey last year than in previous years. According to the USDA, it's the first time production has risen in three years. That's good news for an industry facing headwinds. Rainy, cool weather in some areas after years of drought likely drove 2023’s increase in production. Those conditions help plants grow, giving bees the nectar they need to make honey. But Matt Lance, who manages about 350 honeybee colonies across Nebraska, points out that the latest boost is against a decades-long downward trend in honey production. He calls the latest numbers “small potatoes” in the grand scheme of things. "I would say, don’t look at the increase in honey yield as an industry thriving, it’s just a slight less headache than what it was before," he said. Lance says factors like parasites and viruses, cheap, foreign honey and loss of flower-rich lands are challenging beekeepers across the country.
While Kansas has many beekeepers, it is not one of the nation's top honey producers. North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas are among the top honey-producing states.
Patty Sundberg, a beekeeper who also leads the American Beekeeping Federation, wasn’t surprised by the increased honey production in 2023, which was a mild and wetter year, especially in top honey-producing states. Those are crucial weather conditions to help her bees turn out honey. "So, you can't have blooming flowers without moisture. If a plant is stressed - whether it's drought stressed, heat stressed, whatever - it won't produce nectar, which if there's no nectar, then they don't produce honey," she said. Despite the increase, Sundberg says honey production has been down over the last few decades. Honey bees and beekeepers are facing challenges like fewer flowering plants and higher expenses.
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Avian Flu Found in Cattle in Kansas, Texas and New Mexico
UNDATED (KNS) – Cattle at two commercial dairy farms in Kansas have tested positive for avian flu. The Kansas News Service reports that the Kansas Department of Agriculture says the risk to the public remains low because initial testing suggests mammals cannot spread the virus to other mammals. The release says KDA is not concerned about the safety of commercial milk or milk consumers because the pasteurization process kills bacteria and viruses. State officials say people should avoid unpasteurized milk, and dairy farmers should keep a close watch on their herds for symptoms. Symptoms of bird flu for cattle include lower milk production, changes in stool and loss of appetite. It’s the first time the virus has been documented in commercial dairy farms in Kansas. Cattle in Texas and New Mexico have also tested positive.
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Area Art Museum Hosts Elizabeth Layton Exhibition, Lecture
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park will host a lecture about the work of Elizabeth “Grandma” Layton on Thursday night. KCUR reports that Layton began drawing in 1977 at the age of 68 and continued almost until her death in 1993. She rose to art world fame for the unflinching self portraits that showed her aging female body. Guest Curator Mary Frances Ivey assembled 30 works for the first solo show of Layton’s art in nearly three decades, explaining that “...she is aware of the fact that people perceive her as this grandmother, but she is also subversive, extremely politically engaged, and deeply curious about the world.” The “Drawing as Discourse” exhibit is on view through July 28. Ivey and journalist Don Lambert will host a dialogue at the Nerman Museum's Hudson Auditorium from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday night. For more information on the exhibition and the Thursday evening event, visit the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art website.
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Willow Domestic Violence Center Featured in the KPR Community Spotlight for March
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — This month's KPR Community Spotlight is on the Willow Domestic Violence Center. Willow serves survivors of domestic violence in Douglas, Franklin and Jefferson counties and all of its services are provided free of charge. Christy Imel, director of external affairs for Willow, says survivors of domestic violence often find ways to hide their abuse from friends, family and colleagues. "I've had a number of people come up to me and say: 'Is domestic violence really an issue in our community?' And the answer is: Yes, absolutely it's an issue," she said. Willow operates more than one shelter for survivors and provides a 24-hour hotline for people who need help: (785) 843-3333. Learn more about Willow and the many services it provides.
Willow is holding its Bijoux fundraiser on Thursday, April 4 at the Cider Gallery in Lawrence.
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County Health Rankings Show Parts of Kansas Struggling
UNDATED (KNS) – Kansas counties overall are healthier than the national average according to new research, but certain parts of the state still struggle. The Kansas News Service reports that the 2024 County Health Ratings and Roadmaps study compiles data on various health factors. Wyatt Beckman is a senior analyst with the Kansas Health Institute. Beckman says government and health officials, as well as the public, can use the data to learn about local health challenges. “It can also be a resource for them to understand some areas for improvement that they would like to start conversations around,” he explained. Beckman said while Kansas ranked high overall, every county has room for improvement. Some counties in rural southwest and southeast Kansas, as well as urban counties like Wyandotte or Sedgwick, scored lower than the state average. To see where your county ranks, visit KHI.org.
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Unclaimed $50,000 Lottery Prize Sold in KC Set to Expire Thursday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) - An unclaimed $50,000 Powerball prize sold in Kansas City area is set to expire soon unless someone comes forward with the winning ticket. According to the Missouri Lottery, that winning Powerball ticket was sold last September (September 30, 2023) at a QuikTrip (at NW 90th Street and Green Hills Road). WDAF TV reports that expiration date on that ticket is tomorrow (THUR), March 28. (The numbers drawn for that ticket were 19, 30, 37, 44, 46 and a red Powerball 22.)
The Missouri Lottery says any prize money that is unclaimed 180 days after the drawing date will go to benefit Missouri public education.
The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday night's drawing has climbed to $865 million. It's fifth largest prize in the history of the game.
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Royals Prepare to Take on Twins for Opening Day
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) – The Royals are back in Kansas City after spring training, and going through final preparations for Thursday's season opener at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals concluded their exhibition schedule with a 7-1 win Monday night in Springdale, Arkansas, against their Double-A minor league affiliate, The Naturals. The Royals have named pitcher Cole Ragans as Opening Day starter against the Minnesota Twins. Ragans was a mid-season acquisition last year and had a 5-2 record for the Royals, in a season that saw them lose 106 games. That performance tied the franchise record for most losses in a season. The Royals added 12 new players to their roster this offseason to try and change things for the better.
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Royals Ready for Opening Day, Key Vote Next Week to Help Fund Downtown Ballpark
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman said jokingly that he doesn't sleep very well under normal circumstances, so just imagine how his nights are going these days, with opening day on deck and a key vote for a downtown ballpark coming up next week.
The Royals play AL Central rival Minnesota on Thursday in their opening three-game series. After an offseason spending spree resulted in a revamped starting rotation, rebuilt bullpen and revitalized lineup, expectations in Kansas City are the highest in years for a club that lost 106 games last season.
“I'm trying not to play the expectation game,” Sherman said Wednesday before a public workout at Kauffman Stadium, the 51-year old building affectionately known as “the K” that the Royals want to replace with a downtown ballpark by 2028.
“We've done a lot to make this team better,” Sherman said. “I'm particularly encouraged by the mix of veterans in the clubhouse, the energy, setting an example for the younger guys. I would say my expectations are high. Time will tell.”
The biggest additions were starters Seth Lugo, who signed a $45 million, three-year deal, and Michael Wacha, who got a $32 million, two-year contract. They will fill out an rotation headlined by opening day starter Cole Ragans, who arrived last year in a trade with Texas, along with Brady Singer and Alec Marsh, who won the final job in spring training.
More money was spilled on the bullpen, where the Royals signed left-hander Will Smith — a three-time World Series champion — to a $5 million deal to close out games, and right-hander Chris Stratton to a $4 million deal to hold onto leads.
The biggest lineup addition is outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who signed a $13 million, two-year deal to provide some pop.
In all, just seven players are left on the 26-man roster from the club that struggled so mightily lsat season.
“That's a pretty significant revamp,” Sherman said.
One of those seven back? Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals' brilliant young shortstop, who committed to their future by signing an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed to serve as their cornerstone going forward.
That deal also sent notice to weary Royals fans, many of whom will vote Tuesday, that they are serious about winning.
On the ballot in Jackson County, Missouri, is the renewal of a 3/8-cent sales tax that has been paying for the upkeep of Kauffman Stadium and neighboring Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs.
The Royals want to use their share of future money to help pay for a $2 billion ballpark and entertainment district in a section of Kansas City known as the Crossroads, just south of the T-Mobile Center and Power & Light District. The Chiefs plan to use their share to help with an $800 million renovation to Arrowhead Stadium after the 2026 World Cup is played there.
“What keeps me up at night? It's really thinking about this decision, this process for our ownership group,” Sherman said. “This is the most important thing we'll probably do while we are the stewards of this franchise.”
Neither the Royals nor the Chiefs have said what they would do should the ballot measure fail. But Sherman is doing his best to allay concerns among voters, which range from traffic to parking to what would happen to current Crossroads businesses. He spent last weekend knocking on doors, attending a church service and taking part in a neighborhood meeting in the 18th & Vine district, which is near the Crossroads and home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
“I've got my ear to the ground,” said Sherman, who joked that his wife went to a restaurant in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City recently and “she had four yeses, three nos and a couple of maybes" in her informal polling.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro made his opinion clear, wearing a shirt Wednesday that read “Vote Yes on 1.”
“When you travel around to different cities in the league, the downtown ballparks put a ton of energy into the city. The players enjoy it. The fans soak that kind of thing in,” Quatraro said. “And what a new ballpark could bring our team — the amenities, the facilities underneath (Kauffman Stadium) are smaller. The operation is continuing to grow, and players need certain things that are hard to provide here. From a player-development standpoint, I think it would be a great thing for the team.”
In the meantime, Quatraro is much like Sherman in that his expectations are high for a better season in Kansas City.
“We came into last year with great expectations as well. We don't come into any season thinking it's not going to be good,” he said. “From a team concept, we expect these guys to go out and try to win every game.”
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