By Maria Carter
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-576062.mp3
Kansas City, MO – Former city auditor Mark Funkhouser scored a close win over mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks. A little more than one thousand votes separated the two candidates in the final count. KCUR's Maria Carter has more.
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Music blared at hundreds of Funkhosuer supporters gathered in Westport to watch election results roll in. Mark Funkhouser's camp held on to an early lead, helped by strong results from north of the river. The former city auditor led a grassroots campaign, managed by his wife Gloria and run out of a doublewide trailer. Funkhouser says the city responded to his frankness.
Funkhouser: "We had faith that if you talked straight to the voters, they would believe you. We had faith that if you were authentic that if you tried transparency for a change that my God you could win."
Tax breaks to spur billions of dollars in downtown development became one of the campaign's main issues with Funkhouser claiming they were a bad deal for the city. Funkhouser says the first thing he will do is reach out to his opponent, saying Alvin Brooks always has had the city's best interest at heart.