An editorial in today's News-Press:
We understand why Tour of Missouri boosters are trying to preserve a component of state financial support in their overall $3.5 million budget that largely is funded through private and corporate donations.
In 2009, according to the Associated Press, only $1.344 million of the race's $3.5 million budget came from corporate sponsors. The state provided $1.5 million in tourism money, and another $500,000 from the Missouri Development Finance Board.
State tourism money was also a large part of the race budget in previous years: $1.7M in 2008 and $1.45M in 2007. The MDFB provided $500,000 in 2008 and $350,000 in 2007.
