Mayor Funkhouser optimistic about budget compromise

March 26, 2008

Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser told a Northland audience Wednesday night he was optimistic that a new budget compromise circulating at City Hall would be agreed to today.

'It's not done yet, and it won't be done until there's a vote,' Funkhouser told about 100 people at a town hall meeting. 'I'll either be a very happy camper or I won't. But I'm feeling good about it.'

Funkhouser offered few details of the latest plan cobbled together by City Council members Jan Marcason and Deb Hermann. But he said it looked like the graffiti-abatement program would survive, and he said the plan would be 'fair, respectful and decent to city employees.'

Council members have been haggling for weeks over the details of the budget, which they must pass today. Just hours before Wednesday night's meeting, Marcason and Hermann said they had crafted a budget they were confident would have more than the seven votes required for passage.

Both declined to discuss further details, but Marcason said it involved elements from council proposals and City Manager Wayne Cauthen's proposals. Funkhouser said he was on board with it.

Councilman Terry Riley said he was supportive, but the apparent layoffs are still a big sticking point with him, so he hasn't signed off on it yet.

Councilman Bill Skaggs also attended the town hall meeting and said the outlook for the new plan is good.

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Zoo board met in closed session Wednesday to discuss its legal options if the city backs away from its contract with the nonprofit organization to operate the zoo. The agreement calls for a $4.6 million subsidy this coming year, and Funkhouser wanted to cut $2 million this year and the rest next year. The compromise appears headed toward a zoo cut of $600,000.

Asked about the contract at the town hall, Funkhouser said it is subject to annual appropriations. 'I wouldn't recommend stuff that isn't legal,' he said.

Zoo director Randy Wisthoff said Wednesday that a cut of $600,000 could force the closure of the African forest section and the shipping out of the four gorillas there.

'If we send the gorillas out of here, they're gone forever,' Wisthoff said. 'You can't play this game in an accredited institution. You can't say: I'm having a budget problem; will you take my gorillas for a couple of years?'

National zoo group says it might cancel 2013 convention in KC if city doesn't back off on cuts. | A1

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