Jackson County Demands Charter Review Against Exec Frank White

A bi-partisan plea for change at the courthouse is worth a look amid ongoing outcry over property tax assessments. 

Moreover . . . 

This report is a MUST-SEE for voters because it offers context amid an upcoming GAME CHANGER LAWSUIT over property tax assessments.

Here are the basics . . .

County legislators Sean Smith and Manny Abarca are from different sides of the aisle, but they both say the Jackson County Legislature isn't run as a democracy.

The County Executive controls it.

Smith, a Republican, and Abarca, a Democrat, spoke to KMBC earlier this month about the assessments.

"The reality that the county executive has too much power in this form of government is clear," Abarca said. "And this is a bipartisan approach to that agreement."

"He has control over the process through the people he hires and has, you know, the authority to terminate," Smith said. "I think we could unanimously vote to get a new assessor if we could terminate the one we have in the legislature. But legally, we don't have the authority. That strictly resides with Frank."

Smith and Abarca requested a state charter review to determine what was going on with sky-high property tax assessments and general procedures within the legislature.

But Smith said only White has the power to begin the process, and he removed money from the budget for a review.

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

KMBC 9 Investigates: Legislators Manny Abarca, Sean Smith discuss Jackson County assessments

County legislators Sean Smith and Manny Abarca are from different sides of the aisle, but they both say the Jackson County Legislature isn't run as a democracy.