KC-area mayors mixed on idea of regional light rail

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A group of suburban mayors and other city officials are encouraging Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser to continue developing his proposal for a regional light-rail system that would serve towns in Missouri and Kansas.

About three dozen officials met with Funkhouser on Friday to hear the details of his plan, which would be an alternative to a much shorter Kansas City-only starter line.

While many said they had reservations over the project's potential cost and the difficulty in getting it approved by both states' legislatures and taxpayers, they felt it was worthy of more study.

"I believe this idea, this concept for the metropolitan area, is long overdue," said Karen Messerli, mayor of Lee's Summit.

Funkhouser has drafted legislation that calls for creating a new metro transportation district to plan the light rail, overseen by a 24-member commission of elected officials, split evenly between the two states.

The legislation would require voters in five counties -- Jackson, Platte and Clay in Missouri; Johnson and Wyandotte in Kansas -- to approve a new half-cent sales tax.

The mayor envisions an 80-mile light-rail line that would serve such stops as Johnson County cities, downtown Kansas City, the Kansas City International Airport and entertainment complexes in Wyandotte County. The legislation would require "roughly the same amount" of track be constructed on either side of the state line.

The project's total estimated cost is $4.5 billion.

After Friday's "summit" meeting, Funkhouser said he was encouraged by the reception the idea received from the city officials.

"It went as well as I could possibly imagine," he said.

Some mayors objected to small towns being left out of the oversight commission while Peggy Dunn, mayor of Leawood, Kan., said she wanted money raised in Kansas to stay there.

Funkhouser said he would continue working on his legislation: "I want what you want," he said.

He had originally invited about 120 mayors from throughout the metro area. Among those not attending were mayors from Johnson County cities, including Overland Park, Olathe, Lenexa and Shawnee.

While some said they had scheduling conflicts, others didn't hide their belief the project was too difficult.

"I don't see any appetite for that type of sales-tax measure passing in my community for that purpose," Mike Copeland, Olathe's mayor, said earlier in the week.

Those who did attend Funkhouser's summit meeting heard from Clarence "Cal" Marsella, general manager of the Denver Regional Transportation District, which expanded from a 5.3-miles starter line to 150 miles of light rail and commuter rail. He said a one-cent regional sales tax passed as growth-minded Republicans and environmental-minded Democrats embraced the infrastructure investment.

"The debate went from, 'Will it work?' to 'When will I get mine?"' Marsella said. "To become a great city, you need to be a great region."

Funkhouser has set a goal of putting the sales tax vote on the November ballot after the City Council promised a light-rail vote this year to replace one approved by voters in 2006 that council members determined was unworkable.

But even Funkhouser's supporters said they doubted they could get the legislation passed, form a regional plan and organize an election campaign in time for November.

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com