Governor's office lays out next steps for $30M in restricted funding

Gov. Mike Kehoe recently said $30 million in restricted state funding from last fiscal year that had been proposed for a Springfield convention and events center is now in the hands of Missouri lawmakers.

Gabby Picard, communications director for Kehoe's office, said the $30 million in restricted funding is earmarked for the Springfield convention center project and that it's slated to stay in restriction for the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

"The Missouri Senate can take it out if they choose to do so and appropriate it for something else," Picard said via email. "If they do not, the governor has the opportunity to veto the funding."

Voters on April 7 rejected a 3% lodging tax on hotels, motels and short-term rentals that supporters said would be mostly paid by out-of-town visitors. Revenue from the tax was to help fund the estimated $175 million convention center project. City leaders have said they do not plan to try again; it was the second lodging tax measure in five months to be voted down. 

Springfield Business Journal sought comment after Kehoe spoke to KY3. 

In an April 9 article published by KY3, Kehoe said "we're in a very tough budget year." Kehoe told KY3 that without a local match, Senate leadership and appropriators may believe money is no longer needed, and they are likely to take that into consideration as they look at other needs in the state.

“The will of the people has spoken twice now. So we’ll let our appropriators, as we move the budget through the process, figure out what the best steps are,” Kehoe told KY3.