I have to admit partnering with the Convention and Sports Authority may be the worst idea the City has ever had. It appears Ken Kielty’s reputation of being a little bit controlling is coming true. Kielty has been a thorn in the side of many but he really relishes in being a thorn in Councilman Riddler’s side. Kielty was elected to the Council, with help from Riddler when he ran years ago. After Kielty’s first term Riddler asked for support because he was running. Kielty told Riddler that was not possible because sitting Councilmen don’t work against each other. Riddler took him at his word, Riddler’s first mistake as a politician. Riddler won the race and his dynasty on the Council began. Kielty left the Council and has been the biggest adversary of Riddler since. If Riddler is for it, chances are Kielty is against it. Kielty attempts to tie his hate for Riddler to many personal flaws of other Council members. Kielty blames Riddler for electing people with drinking problems; one Councilman elected was later to be found a sexual deviant. Kielty blames Riddler for these elections. My personal belief is Kielty has tried to discredit Riddler to insure he kept the license bureau, something Riddler ran under Joe Teasdale. Kielty lost the bureau this past week.
I wanted to give you the history so we might understand why Kielty and the Sports Authority has sued the City and now they are saying the money collected from the hotel tax will not be spent before the City’s. When the Convention Center debate was up for a vote of the people, Keilty and his pals lead the fight to have it built. They went as far as to create a bill that stated if there was any cost to the City it would come from the tourism tax we all pay. At the last Council Meeting the City’s attorneys were asked to spell out the order in which the Authority and City are to spend their money. Please keep in mind if it weren’t for the good of St. Charles voting to allow the Authority to build a monument to themselves there wouldn’t be any discussions. The Authority is proving to be less and less responsive to the residents. My solution is really quite simple and to give credit where I came up with the solution, so no one will accuse me of stealing the idea of someone else. Carl Bearden had suggested the Authority be a County appointed commission. Why not let the County control the Authority? All the taxes are collected in the County. So I am suggesting to Carl Bearden please follow through and take the appointing away from the Governor and make it local. That way we can get people with smaller egos on the Authority.
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