Here’s what Crispin Rea says he’ll prioritize in his bid for Kansas City mayor
Focusing on public safety, Kansas City councilmember Crispin Rea said he wants to lead Kansas City into a better future.
Rea, who currently represents the 4th district at large on the City Council, has thrown his hat in the ring to become the next mayor of Kansas City. He told The Star that Kansas City residents want a mayor who focuses on improving public safety and basic city services.
“I feel that Kansas Citians deserve a level of leadership that is going to prioritize those things first,” Rea said. “I intend to deliver that kind of leadership.”
Rea joins the race that currently includes Mayor pro tem Ryana Parks-Shaw and Kenda Tomes McClain, a Kansas City finance attorney. Missouri Ethics Commission records also show 2nd District Councilmember Wes Rogers and P.J. Guastello, co-owner of Oak Ridge Family Social Club, are also running for the office.
Rea said voters will decide next year what kind of city they want for the next decade when they pick the next mayor.
“We’re at a bit of a crossroads,” Rea said. “We’ve got some good momentum. We’ve got some serious challenges, specifically around public safety and homelessness.”
Here are some of the things Rea said he’d focus on if he’s elected mayor.
Public safety
Rea said he wants to take a balanced approach to public safety, focusing on alternatives to incarceration while also maintaining stronger enforcement for individuals who have no other option.
He said that perspective is derived from his youth growing up in Kansas City’s Eastside and his experience as a prosecutor.
He said he grew up in a neighborhood with a high crime rate and saw what disinvestment in lower-income areas looks like. He later served the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office special victims unit, handling cases of abused women and children.
“That helps give me a well-rounded view on public safety issues and striving for that balance,” he said. “It’s been my life experience, as well as my professional experience. And with that being a top issue for Kansas City voters, I think I’m in a good position to address it.”
Rea has also been a leading voice in the city’s effort to build its own jail. He pointed to his efforts to extend the public safety sales tax that voters approved last year with more than 60% of the vote. Much of that funding will be used to build a jail.
Meanwhile, addressing homelessness is a top concern of Rea’s current constituents in the 4th district, which includes the city’s urban core. He said he wants to focus on programs that help get “our homeless neighbors off the streets and into more dignified housing.”
Stadium and city services
A major development the next mayor will likely oversee is the construction of a new Royals baseball stadium near downtown. Team officials unveiled plans for a $1.9 billion stadium in Crown Center.
The City Council recently opened the door to negotiate with the team, offering up to $600 million of bond funding to support the project.
Rea said his goal in negotiations with the team’s representatives is to craft a good deal for the city residents. He said that includes ensuring that any support the city provides to the project does not affect the city’s ability to provide basic services.
“No one else is coming to fix the potholes, clear the snow, pick up the trash, fix the sidewalks,” Rea said. “That’s been a big focus for me during my time on the council.”
He also said a deal for a new stadium must be beneficial for the city. That could include agreements with the Major League Baseball team committing to help the city address homelessness.
That would be important, Rea said, because Washington Square Park — which is likely to be part of the development area for the stadium and its surrounding entertainment district — is where many people experiencing homelessness gather during the day.
“I don’t think any of us want to see that dichotomy play out,” Rea said, “where we’re building a big nice new stadium, and then right down the street you’ve got folks who don’t have a house to live in or need help with mental health or substance abuse.”
Rea is currently serving his first term on the City Council, assuming the position in 2023. Prior to City Council, he served as a board member for Kansas City Public Schools.
The primary election is set for April 2027 and the general election is in June 2027. The winner of the race will replace outgoing Mayor Quinton Lucas, who is finishing his second four-year term.
