Kinder's failed management comes into focus

If the 2009 Tour of Missouri bike race is cancelled, the blame will land squarely on one man's narrow shoulders--- Peter Kinder.

Kinder's oversight of the race has been marked by poor management and slip-shod business practices.

Consider these examples:

In the face of long-expected state budget cuts in Missouri (and in every other state in the nation), Kinder had no alternative financing plan for the event (other than a "too big to fail" taxpayer bailout).

The race has always operated in the red and has needed an annual taxpayer bail-out to pay its debt.  Kinder has never gotten costs under control or increased private fundraising to pay his bills.

Tour of Missouri, Inc. has no contract with the state for funding the 2009 race.  According to state records, the contract for the 2008 race has expired and a 2009 race contract was never executed.  And yet, Kinder continues to claim the state will be sued if it doesn't cough up the taxpayer cash.

Tour of Missouri, Inc. is operated outside of government as a secretive not-for-profit corporation that uses a St. Louis lawyer as its agent, has never filed an annual report with the state and has never filed mandatory financial disclosure returns with the IRS.

Ee tu, Peter?