Kinder and the Tourism Commission both came out Friday to try to keep the Tour of Missouri bicycle race alive.

"In a weakened economy, these are the types of investments that our commission should make," Kinder said in a release.

Kinder also announced the appointment of Commissioner Marcia Bennett of St. Joseph to a subcommittee for the Tourism Commission. According to Kinder's office, the subcommittee will draft a budget plan in response to the freeze.

The Department of Economic Development has stood by its proposed cuts. The governor's office asked each state department to lay out possible places to cut. The $1.5 million set aside for the race was out of a total $5 million proposed by DED. Communications Director John Fougere stressed that there were other, more important, projects also on the chopping block. To see the other cuts, click the link to the left of this story.

"We have to make some cuts that are admittedly very painful, but that's the reality of the situation right now," Fougere said.

As for the locals, reactions are mixed. Mark Allchorn, who runs Hartsburg Cycle Depot in Jefferson City, said he understood that the economy is tight and the state has to make cuts, but hoped the spirit for the sport didn't change. Allchorn saw his first race when he was young and visiting Spain. He says he didn't even know he'd driven his motorcycle right into the middle of the route until a police officer waved him to the side of the road.

"It's an opportunity to see something you might never see," Allchorn said. "Hopefully those kids will remember that like I did when I was 15."

Since then, Allchorn has spent his time tinkering with bike parts and even creating custom-made bikes from scratch. He says the Tour of Missouri doesn't bring in extra income for shops like his, but for hotels and restaurants the impact of 400,000 tourists for an event like this one can be great.

Organizers and Kinder's office say they cannot run a race without the state funds. They said if the race is cancelled, they will not pursue a 2010 race either. But DED wants the tour to seek private funds instead.

"The best answer for this is to keep the 2009 race alive, and then we can begin to plan for 2010," Kinder's communications director said Friday.

Nixon budget director Linda Luebbering said the cuts are under review. McElyea expects the official decision to take about a week.