Inauguration: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas Pledges To Renew Promises To Voters



Highlights from the speech  . . .

The overall theme . . .

"Today, we renew our promise to our voters, to our citizens, to our neighbors to do what they expect of us… to run an efficient government focused on good service delivery, like picking up the trash, and improving the quality of life for every day Kansas Citians… to remember “momentum” has to include us all… to not forget where we came from and who needs help."

Promise to keep promises . . .

"We will still have important work to do… to ensure we’re continuing our steps toward free public bus transit for all in our City; toward making sure every dollar sent us by each taxpayer and each ratepayer in our City is spent wisely, fairly, and consistently with the promises we’ve made to the voters, to give more people who may have had trouble in the past a second chance, and to make sure a law enforcement officer, or a teenage worker, or perhaps one of our family members or friends, has the opportunity to get home safely tonight."

Equity pledge from City Hall . . .

"We have to commit to the rehabilitation and creation of affordable housing and stable neighborhoods in all Kansas City neighborhoods with the same vigor we’ve committed to hotel construction and central business district renewal. We must be consistent with our promise to taxpayers to address long-term, existing road repair and infrastructure needs—before the winter pothole season hits—and with a focus on taking care of what we have. And, we have to commit to compensating better, fairly, and adequately the thousands of employees that go to work for Kansas City, Missouri government each day. Pats on the back are nice, but paychecks that show one’s worth are even better.

On the topic of Kansas City's murder count . . .

"No issue is more important than preventing the tragic loss of lives to violence and drug addiction we see each year in our city. It’s been mentioned a time or two that I am a young mayor and I’m proud of it. The perspective that gives me is that for almost every year of my life, Kansas City, the city in which I was born, has been one of America’s most dangerous cities. For almost every year of my life, I have lived in neighborhoods where young lives—particularly young black lives—were cut short before boys and girls could reach their prime. For most every year of my life, I’ve lived in neighborhoods where people feel forced to abandon our city so that they can live, they hope, in peace. I don’t want to get to old age accepting that as an every day fact of life. I don’t want to be a city where we have ribbon cuttings for new stadium or big infrastructure but simply shrug about the violence in our streets, the mental illnesses, particularly among the homeless, left untreated, and the drug addictions—among people of all races and all walks of life—that take away so many of our brothers and sisters. Yes, my friends, public safety is expensive, but the value of human life is much greater. I ask you, my colleagues, to stand with me as we commit by the end of this term to getting our city off the FBI list of most violent cities and getting our homicide number consistently below the still-too-high number of 100 lives lost per year."

Now . . .

Here’s the full text of Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas’s inauguration speech

Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you to all of you for sharing this moment with our families, with our peers, and with our great community today.

I note the rain outdoors this morning. Some of you may recall that it poured rain on election night back in June and it’s raining today. While clear, blue skies beckon good fortune for some, I’m starting to think I will always just hope for gray skies and rain in the forecast on days with my big life events. It seems to be good luck.


I want to start by acknowledging the many participants in today’s ceremony.

• Bridgette Williams, a history maker herself, being the first African-American woman to lead one of our City’s great organizations and research suggests the first female host in a generation of inauguration exercises.

• The members of our color guard and the women and men of the Kansas City Fire and Police Departments who serve our community in tough situations each day.

• The many young performers from Oak Park High School with us today.

• Bishop Johnston, a faith leader for us all, Catholic and not, in Kansas City and our region.

• Brandonn, someone who has never forgotten and will never forget those who have served.

• Judge Benton, a man who taught me always to read more closely, never fail to conduct research, but also never to forget where I’m from and my journey to get here

• And, my friend, Representative Davids, Sharice, whose presence today shows bistate cooperation between Missouri and Kansas, how we must all work together to see brighter days, but more than that, honors me and us as she is one of the most amazing, hardworking women this region and this country knows.

Thank you.

Today we celebrate a new administration, new opportunities, and a new day in Kansas City, but we do that while recognizing those who have come before us. I am honored to acknowledge the work of leaders like Mayor Dick Berkeley, whose leadership and advice is something I have cherished as a candidate and now as a new mayor; city council people now and in the past; who not for compensation or fame, but for love of community gave hours and years to this great city; and I acknowledge the work of my predecessor, Sylvester “Sly” James. Local pundits and political watchers spend a great deal of time talking about Sly and I’s disagreements—and we’ve given them fodder from time to time—but few recognize the respect I have for the man. To wear the uniform of our country, to give decades of free, public service as a volunteer board member and civic advocate while raising a family, and to leave a lucrative law practice at the highpoint of one’s career to answer once more the call to service takes bravery, takes passion, and takes love for our community. Mayor James, I and we will be forever grateful for that love of community you shared with our city.

I also wish today to recognize the twelve outstanding women and men who spent the last year walking our neighborhoods, listening to concerns—ranging from potholes to trash pickup to job creation—and who I am proud today to call my colleagues on the City Council. Our Council features preeminent experts in state and local government, lifelong supporters of our servicemen and women, mothers, fathers, grandparents, engineers, millennials, baby boomers, Gen-Xers, community advocates, progressives, moderates, and a conservative… but more than anything, people passionate about the opportunities ahead for Kansas City. Lee, Teresa, Katheryn, Heather, Dan, Kevin, Melissa, Brandon, Ryana, Eric, Andrea, . . . Thank you for caring so much about our community, thank you for giving me a chance, and thank you to you and your families for being willing to serve. As part of that service, I am calling for a reduction in the number of committees, down from ten to three, that allow councilmembers to specialize in key areas; to attend other committees without missing their own; to have ample time for constituent services; and to have committee’s meet in a manner that allows the public to keep track of what’s going on at City Hall without needing an updated roster and scorecard week to week. We must have a goal of being ever-transparent and that means, not merely, sharing what we’re doing and where the money to do so is coming from, but making sure the public can participate, holding more meetings in the public and after hours, using technology to keep folks better informed, and never neglecting to remember that sunlight is the best disinfectant, openness and transparency a preferred default for all that we will do.

We all got into this endeavor to do something; not to be something. We recognize why City Hall matters in the life of Kansas Citians each day. At a certain point, this awesome crowd will leave. The number of press members will drop to just a few—and we do thank you for what you do—but we will still have important work to do… to ensure we’re continuing our steps toward free public bus transit for all in our City; toward making sure every dollar sent us by each taxpayer and each ratepayer in our City is spent wisely, fairly, and consistently with the promises we’ve made to the voters, to give more people who may have had trouble in the past a second chance, and to make sure a law enforcement officer, or a teenage worker, or perhaps one of our family members or friends, has the opportunity to get home safely tonight.

Over the next four years, we have some big things to do. Some expectations on us are continuations of work already started; some may be with challenges we don’t already know. We have to complete the new airport terminal project on-time—before the 2023 NFL draft—and on budget. We need to continue renegotiation of the EPA consent decree so that rapidly increasing water rates don’t continue to hurt so many of the poorest and working folks in our community. We have to commit to the rehabilitation and creation of affordable housing and stable neighborhoods in all Kansas City neighborhoods with the same vigor we’ve committed to hotel construction and central business district renewal. We must be consistent with our promise to taxpayers to address long-term, existing road repair and infrastructure needs—before the winter pothole season hits—and with a focus on taking care of what we have. And, we have to commit to compensating better, fairly, and adequately the thousands of employees that go to work for Kansas City, Missouri government each day. Pats on the back are nice, but paychecks that show one’s worth are even better.

And, my friends, no issue is more important than preventing the tragic loss of lives to violence and drug addiction we see each year in our city. It’s been mentioned a time or two that I am a young mayor and I’m proud of it. The perspective that gives me is that for almost every year of my life, Kansas City, the city in which I was born, has been one of America’s most dangerous cities. For almost every year of my life, I have lived in neighborhoods where young lives—particularly young black lives—were cut short before boys and girls could reach their prime. For most every year of my life, I’ve lived in neighborhoods where people feel forced to abandon our city so that they can live, they hope, in peace. I don’t want to get to old age accepting that as an every day fact of life. I don’t want to be a city where we have ribbon cuttings for new stadium or big infrastructure but simply shrug about the violence in our streets, the mental illnesses, particularly among the homeless, left untreated, and the drug addictions—among people of all races and all walks of life—that take away so many of our brothers and sisters. Yes, my friends, public safety is expensive, but the value of human life is much greater. I ask you, my colleagues, to stand with me as we commit by the end of this term to getting our city off the FBI list of most violent cities and getting our homicide number consistently below the still-too-high number of 100 lives lost per year.

• Public safety.

• Opportunity for workforce development and stable housing in all our neighborhoods.

• Fixing our broken infrastructure.

• Fiscal responsibility.

• Open and transparent government.

Although some have called this a time of change, I call this a time of renewal. Today, we renew our promise to our voters, to our citizens, to our neighbors to do what they expect of us… to run an efficient government focused on good service delivery, like picking up the trash, and improving the quality of life for every day Kansas Citians… to remember “momentum” has to include us all… to not forget where we came from and who needs help.

About twenty-five years ago, my mother was working hard to raise three children by herself. We moved frequently. Our cars broke down all the time. Walking and the bus got my sisters around during the height of school district desegregation and somehow my mother got me to the private, Barstow School, in south Kansas City every day. I didn’t know my father, so my mentors were my uncles, Don and Quinton, a proud airman and factory worker, respectively. The Kansas City I grew up in had similarities to the Kansas City they’d grown up in. It was an amazing place if your family had resources. If you didn’t, it was sometimes hard to succeed. But, my mother, her brothers, they all persisted. My mother caught that bus to work. She made sure her children spent time at the public library, first for air conditioning in the summer, but ultimately as a fountain of knowledge. I walked the streets of downtown Kansas City as a kid, which made for not the most exciting babysitter, but certainly an interesting one.

You see, I’m honored and lucky to have the mother, sisters, uncles, and family I did, but Kansas City raised me too. The adversity I faced here made me stronger. The public investment in our library system made me wiser. The churches, safety-net hospitals, and community organizations of our city made me healthier and safer. And, seeing people on television like Emanuel Cleaver and Kay Barnes let me know I could dream of doing anything.

Our work now is to expand that hope to every person in our city, young and old. Our work is to make sure that no one is left behind in Kansas City in our next generation and our work is to ensure that we leave this City—and its diverse neighborhoods—safer, healthier, and stronger than we find them today. I welcome the challenge. I welcome your prayers. I welcome the hard work ahead.

Thank you. God bless you and God bless our great city.
#############

You decide . . . 

Comments

  1. Release the DUI arrest video if you really believe in transparency Quinton.

    ReplyDelete

  2. And all of the democrats are all teary eyed because they have a new savior to follow no matter what he says or does. PAY YOUR TAXES!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Obviously he'll have his hands full rummaging through Sly James shit trying to figure out what the hell happened.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sly’s greatest failure wasn’t the pre-k tax failure. His greatest failure was his temper and how it guided his decision making process. His anger with those that disagreed with him was visible and he had no problem putting it on full display. His win at all costs and screw those who disagree was most evident in the crime issue in Kansas City.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ^^Except..and this is real key here retard...Sly is not mayor anymore!!!!! Wake up geezer, you're losing it fast!! Call your doctor and get a DNR!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hate to interrupt Lucas' maiden speech, but the phone's ringing.
    It's the Chamber of Commerce and they need for you to hustle down to their boardroom so that you can get your marching orders for the next four years.
    But don't worry.
    KCMO voters are very used to having all the campaign rhetoric forgotten before the inauguration flowers even fade.
    Be sure to bring a pad and pencil when you come.
    Our list is long.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Was Council member Teresa Loar there with liquor on her breath before the noon hour? That woman has no shame.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ^^No, she was fucking your wife at that time.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What did Sly leave him to work with?

    Crumbling infrastructure, 5th worst murder rate, higher taxes and inflation, unaffordable rents, over inflated asset values, out of control traffic, debt shoved up our asses for bullshit from here to eternity, a crumbling manufacturing base, dysfunctional city services, etc etc etc etc.

    Nothing to worry about Q.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ^^^blah blah blah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ^^^Glug! Glug! Glug! BathHouse toilet water guzzler @11:38/12:08/12:16 is a bigly hissy-fit sissy. The pussyhat is calling in sick to the burger shack now from his safespace toilet stall.

      Delete
  11. James’ single worst or best(depending on how you look at it) is the horrible horrible no good very bad murder rate.
    Any good he did is out weighed by this.. hands down.
    He did not know how to solve it or it would have been solved.
    He may say his pre-K tax or his East-bound toy train was his worst failures- but Keeping KC safe is job #1.
    He failed.

    ReplyDelete
  12. 12:20, what did James do or fail to do that would have lowered the murder count? (Remember that he was just one of five police commissioners.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He failed by not going to the root of the problem with all the crime and murder. I chose to blame guns instead of those who's hand the gun was in. He never once went and gave a speech about being a more productive citizen instead of being a gangster Thug drug dealer and killer. He did not lead by example she was a total failure when it comes to crime in the Inner City

      Delete
  13. I like a lot of what he said here. I hope he can do half of it in his 1t term.

    We need you to do well Quinton!

    ReplyDelete
  14. No particular concern expressed about the mountain of long-term debt the City is/will be facing in coming years.

    ReplyDelete
  15. How to solve KC Crime Murder Rate:

    1. Study NY City and see what they did decades ago.
    2. Hire more police.
    3. Study the hours when crime occurs- staff police accordingly and advertise that.
    4. Engage CEOs of the top 10 KC companies for round table ideas... have them lend their top problem solvers to the round table.
    5. Build a bigger jail immediately. No excuses.. build it. Advertise it.
    6. Start in all KC schools... have inmates and former “successful” inmates give once a month talks to kids... starting 3rd grade.
    7. Have business pony up big bucks to increase money for TIPS for murders. $20 Thousand. That alone should help. Publicize it.
    8. Have Q go and give community talks at kids events: Boy Scouts, school carnivals etc. Be visible!
    9. Start Boy Scout / Girl Scout packs at all schools. Engage businesses to help. Eagle Scouts are successful.
    10. Publicize punishments for murder. Put it on signs in all neighborhoods. Afraid you will offend? Murder offend!



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @1:03pm..Add just one more item to the list:

      #11. Sterilize the nigras.

      Delete
  16. $20,000 per murder TIP solved.

    ReplyDelete
  17. 12:40 if by now you have no clue what James could have done and didn't do your hopeless and anyone explaining it to you won't make any difference.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sly recently announced that his greatest accomplishment was the new airport.
    And, as the cost balloons toward over $2 billion, more unexpected glitches arise, and the result turns out to be disappointing and even embarrassing, you can be sure Lucas and the gang will keep reminding Sly that this is his baby.
    Bad move on Sly's part.
    Never try to take credit for something that still is a long long way from being done.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Who wrote his speech?


    Yo! Stamm! Write me a pledge that will appeal to gullible Kansas City people.


    No problem boss. That will be easy.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Slumlord sLIE (he ran the city like a true slumlord) and his cronies are gonna be hard to get rid of

    ReplyDelete
  21. They have tried inner city scout programs before. Scouts and other programs require parent involvement. The youth at risk literally have no parent involvement. They are raised by the streets, hence the crime problem.

    ReplyDelete
  22. "if by now you have no clue what James could have done and didn't do your hopeless and anyone explaining it to you won't make any difference."

    It would have been easier and quicker for you to respond "I dunno."

    ReplyDelete
  23. ^^ wasn't the point being made stupid so you're wrong again asshole.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I truly hope he is sincere and not just the status quo!

    ReplyDelete
  25. 8/1/19, 3:07 PM -- He's as sincere as every other mofo pol that gets elected on pie in the sky promises.

    ReplyDelete

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