‘Example of state overreach’: KC activists rally Saturday against police ballot measure
More than two dozen advocates gathered Saturday afternoon at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Kansas City to rally against a proposed constitutional amendment that would expand Missouri’s power over the police department’s budget.
Mayor Quinton Lucas listened as speakers from various area organizations argued that Kansas City deserves to have control over its police budget.
“I think anyone — whether you’re on the left or the right, whether you are from a more activist position, or a very moderate position — believes that this city should have more control over its budgeting decisions rather than less,” Lucas said. “Kansas Citians are being treated like second class citizens where we’re not entitled to have the same power the people in Grain Valley or Grandview have.”
In June, Gov. Mike Parson signed a law that would raise the minimum percentage of Kansas City’s general revenue that must be spent on police from 20% to 25%. But the law also included an amendment to the state constitution that is on the Nov. 8 ballot, giving lawmakers more power to increase the Kansas City Police Department’s funding.
The ballot measure, known as Amendment 4, would give lawmakers the power for the next three years to increase the minimum level of funding Kansas City must devote to its police. If the amendment passes, then the law Parson signed likely will go into effect. But if the amendment fails, then the law likely will continue to face legal challenges and may never go into effect.
Amaia Cook, 24, who is a leader with Decarcerate KC, said Saturday’s rally was to point out that Kansas Citians don’t believe lawmakers and Missourians who don’t live in the city should be making decisions that will impact one city.
“For us, we’re really concerned when state officials come into our community and try to say what we can’t do with our budget,” Cook said. “This is a prime example of state overreach and politicians wanting to put money back into their pockets instead of looking out for the best interests of the people in Kansas City.”
Local control of the police department has been a long issue in Kansas City. The Kansas City Police Department is the only police force in the state that is overseen by a state board of commissioners. Four of the members are appointed by the governor and the fifth is reserved for the mayor.
Soon after Parson signed the law, Lucas filed a lawsuit against the state and asked the courts to halt the law’s enforcement. The suit, filed in Jackson County, argues that the law violates a provision in the Missouri Constitution that restricts the legislature from passing unfunded mandates to local governments. It says the law would force Kansas City to cut funding from other government services like its fire department, road repairs and parks.
Lucas is both a plaintiff and a defendant in his official capacity in the case since he’s a member of the board of police commissioners.
This story was originally published September 10, 2022 at 2:50 PM.
