Liberty Memorial Board Member Blows Smoke
I just about choked on my coffee this morning when I saw Tim Kristl, of all people, complaining about the budget cuts to Liberty Memorial and announcing that they are cutting the steam off on the Eternal Flame atop the phallus. Tim Kristl.
Tim Kristl, for those who don't know, is a symbol of city politics gone wrong. He was the punch line in the sick joke that was the Semler appointment - despite her flaws, nobody could say that she was the worst Parks Board appointee ever, because that title belongs to Mr. Kristl, and that trophy won't travel.
Mr. Kristl, a confidant of the former mayor, was one of the main paths to developer riches during the prior administration. Now that those developer incentives are draining the city treasury, the last person who ought to be complaining is Tim Kristl.
They say the birds will eventually come home to roost. Maybe they can roost on the flameless top of Liberty Memorial.
Labels: kansas city, TIF
posted by Dan at 3/28/2008 06:14:00 AM
10 Comments:
For real? The flame is not going to be kept going? For me, the flame has nothing to do with city budgets or political squabbles. It's about remembering the American troops and medical men and women who died in the First World War. I'm as political as the next guy, moreso even, but I always thought that the flame was a good thing that KC did. Here's why:
Visitor to KC: Hey what's that flame on the big penis pillar all about?
KC native (with pride): That's the eternal flame for the Americans who died in WWI.
Visitor: Cool. I don't think about them that much. Nice job, KC.
Dan, when are you going to talk about the Zoo Association "blackmailing" KC over the zoo funding? Will you be as harsh on the white Zoo Assoc members as you were on the brown La Raza members?
Private Dan:
I'm waiting to read your post congratulating the Mayor on the first big issue he's been on the right side of.
I voted for the guy based on fiscal responsibility issues. Just like a voted for the city council members for the exact same set of reasons.
I'm waiting...
Sincerely,
mainstream
Another example of Funkhouser's lack of leadership and political capital to push his agenda. His reaction to the budget also shows his lack of effort to do so.
That's true anon. He came off a win, and could have handled the whole thing differently.
There are so many ways it could have been handled better.
The man apparently defined himself early on, when he called the outgoing parks board divisive, and then named Semler, in the same breath. Literally.
What a terrible way he handled the situation.
If anybody maintains that Semler is not the most divisive parks board candidate, they're clearly trying to blow smoke up our ass.
I'm no fan of Kristl, but how many people were protesting his nomination? The analogy is sooo wrong.
Mainstream - once again, you get tripped up by your poor reading skills and overactive imagination. Now, go back and read what I wrote. Try to find that I said that Kristl was the most divisive Parks Board member.
He wasn't. But he was the worst.
Well, Divisive, worst, I think their interchangeable, it would be hard to argue that the most divisive Board member would not also be the worst.
But you could argue that.
Again, I'd like to make clear that I'm not fan of Kristl. However, he's the second worst Parks Board member.
Semler's the worst, by a country mile. On paper, and in practice. If anybody need a remminder of that just re-read her resignation letter.
Now I'll grant you that if one thinks what Kristl did daily was evil, and you combine "worseness factor" with tenure, one could easily conclude that Kristl was around doing damage longer.
I agree with the Anon 9:56 and especially with Mainstream 10:30. This Mayor is a joke.
Mainstream -
I don't think we're far from agreement. I agreed virtually from the start that Semler was a bad pick, but Kristl milked the treasury to the tune of millions. Heck, he could pay the $45k bill for the steam if he just paid back a portion of what he got paid for representing clients in front of boards he was on - seems like that would be a small thing to ask.
But Semler was certainly a doozy of a pick, too . . .
I AM THE MAYOR!
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