Mayor Funky's Iphone Failure

So, the Kansas City political story with the most Internet buzz has to be the current controversy involving Mayor Funkhouser, HIS WIFE and their questionable use of campaign funds for pricey Chiefs tickets and Iphones. The total comes to $3,200 bucks for the summer.

Of course the move is perfectly legal . . . But it's not the kind of reform for "regular folks" that Mayor Funky's team promised. As with the Honda Hybrid Sponsorship deal gone wrong, the Mayor still hasn't learned that an important part of holding political office is leading by example.

In fact, the latest news that has the political set in Kansas City abuzz is that Mayor Mark Funkhouser's campaign treasurer Evert Asjes is resigning less than a week after The Star broke the news.

Of course Funkhouser defended the purchase of the Iphone: "I needed a phone that worked, that synched up with my Mac, for political calls," he said. "I didn't want a city phone. I've never had a city phone, even when I was auditor."

On this I agree with him . . . Of course I want the Mayor of KC to be on the cutting edge when it comes to his communication capabilities . . . However, there's an important question that local media has yet to raise:

WHY DOES HIS WIFE, AN UNPAID VOLUNTEER, NEED A $500 PHONE?

In the end, it's his campaign money and the people who gave it to him obviously like the guy but it is very telling that the "regular folks" rhetoric doesn't apply to luxury items for the dude's old lady or perks for his people.

Again, this is yet another situation where what Mayor Funky says and what he does are two very different things . . . He says he's a liberal and likes Latinos but he stands by the Minutemen. He says he's a fiscal conservative and then awards huge salaries for his cronies along with luxury items at the expense of his patrons.

It's probably not my business because I wouldn't give any politico dollar one . . . However, the level of hypocrisy, arrogance and stubbornness of the Funky Administration has already cost the guy so much support that I can only hope he (and his wife/Chief adviser/co-Mayor) use the phones to listen to what people are saying about his tenure so far.