Kansas City Mayor Q Stays Winning Latest Defund Police Fight

Credit where it's due . . .

Mayor Q's campaign against supporting local police earned an important victory today. And it's even more critical than his sketchy suggestion about raising police salaries without much legislative power to make it happen.

Accordingly, here's a roundup of the sitch and we look forward to any insightful comments on the topic: 

Amendment 4, which was approved by Missouri voters in 2022, required Kansas City, Missouri, to increase the minimum spending on its police force from 20% of its budget to 25%.

With the Missouri Supreme Court's decision, the minimum mandatory spending increase has been overturned, and a new election on the question has been ordered for the statewide general election on Nov. 5, 2024.

An apropos quote . . . 

KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas sent the following statement regarding the ruling:

"The Missouri Supreme Court today sided with fairness to the people of Kansas City and all Missouri voters. The voices of Kansas Citians should not be ignored in conversations about our own budget, and Missouri voters should not be, in the words of the Supreme Court, ‘misled’ about the issues before them.

"In November 2022, voters were told a lie by certain statewide officials: that Kansas Citians would sustain no increased costs in having the state take control of millions of dollars of spending in the City’s annual budget. Resolving the case in favor of the voters of Kansas City, today’s ruling shows that Kansas Citians can be trusted to make and represent our own decisions.

"I have always and will continue to support our public safety and the Kansas City Police Department—just last month I signed a budget giving every single KCPD officer a raise, increasing starting salaries from $50,000 up to $65,000, and exceeding KCPD’s personnel funding request. I have been proud to support and pass budget increases consistently during my tenure and look forward to continuing to do so. That said, we always will ensure the voices of our community are central in every budget conversation about essential local services.

"Today’s decision is a win for Kansas City, a win for Missouri voters, and a win for those who believe in honest elections.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Missouri Supreme Court overturns amendment mandating increase to KCPD's budget

The Missouri Supreme Court announced Tuesday it is overturning the results of a constitutional amendment vote from November 2022 that imposed a mandatory increase of KCPD's budget.

Missouri Supreme Court rules KCPD ballot question 'misled voters,' orders a redo election

Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment in November 2022 that required Kansas City to increase its minimum funding of the police department. But the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the language on the original measure was so inaccurate that it casts doubt on the fairness of the election.

Missouri voters to decide on increase in KCPD funding again in November election

The state's highest court ruled that the fiscal note of the ballot language was not accurate and misled the voter.

Developing . . .