KC Mayor Sly James leaves office with a legacy of achievement — and a few grudges
The Sly James era in Kansas City ends Thursday.
James was a consequential mayor, one of the most important and successful in Kansas City history. Our city is unquestionably on firmer ground than it was when James took the reins from the sour Mark Funkhouser in 2011.
That’s true in brick-and-mortar terms, which is how many people measure mayoral success. A new convention hotel will soon open, a project that should provide a shot in the arm for the lackluster convention industry.
The city’s streetcar is a success. It isn’t mass transit, but as a fun people-mover, it has drawn national attention. Downtown itself has essentially been reborn, with apartments, shops, restaurants and offices now open or under construction.
Progress is visible in the Crossroads, parts of midtown and the River Market, and there are encouraging improvements along Troost Avenue, on the city’s East Side and in the West Bottoms.
Construction of a much-needed new terminal at Kansas City International Airport is underway.
Some of these projects might have advanced without Sly James, and a booming national economy gets some of the credit for the city’s physical renaissance. But the growth in Kansas City’s skyline during the last eight years matches any stretch in modern local history, and James will rightly be remembered for that.
The outgoing mayor also emphasized his role as the city’s cheerleader-in-chief, and again, history will treat him well. He worked hard to attract the 2016 Republican National Convention to Kansas City; the failure of that effort doesn’t negate his role.
The 2012 All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium went off without a hitch. The Royals’ success in 2014 and 2015, and the Chiefs’ in 2018, brought a glow to the community that rubbed off on its mayor, to everyone’s delight.
There were more substantial achievements. Voter approval of an $800 million infrastructure bond program will bring needed improvements to streets and sidewalks, and it reflects Kansas Citians’ endorsement of James’ leadership.
James’ “Turn the Page KC” initiative to improve reading skills was exemplary. Mayors often talk about education during their campaigns; James put real muscle into the work after taking office.
He made an effort to reach out to St. Louis leadership, something Mayor-elect Quinton Lucas should pursue as well. There was no major political scandal at City Hall during James’ tenure. Hard work and focus are essential to improving Kansas City, and James provided both.
There were, of course, setbacks. Early in his first term James convened a task force to examine tax policy; the group labored mightily but produced little. It was a missed opportunity, and Kansas City’s tax structure is still unfairly skewed against the poor.
Violent crime remains a scourge on the city and a mark on James’ legacy. Yet other mayors have promised to reduce the bloodshed and have fallen short as well. The answers aren’t easy. Making Kansas City a safer place remains an immense challenge.
There are other important lessons from James’ time in office: Policy disagreements aren’t personal. Transparency is preferable to secrecy. Trust must be earned.
Too often, James picked unnecessary fights with ministers, school officials, fellow City Council members, the press, the public. That’s one reason the mayor’s early childhood education sales tax failed so badly at the polls.
In his new book, “A Passion for Purpose,” James recounts the controversy surrounding the selection of a developer for the new terminal at KCI. Sadly, the mayor’s account is less about facts than settling scores.
“Some things are better off not being seen, and not everybody has to see everything,” the mayor writes. “Once you elect people to do a job, then you have to step back and trust them to do their job.”
Actually, in this republic, the people have a right to know what elected officials are doing in their name, with their money, in their community. There is nothing more fundamental to self-government than that. James’ outright disdain for transparency tarnishes his record.
A full assessment of James’ tenure in the city’s top job is complicated. Kansas City mayors get too much credit when things go well, and too much blame when they don’t.
But Kansas City made significant strides during the last eight years, emerging as a more vibrant and appealing city. Sly James deserves credit for that. Thank you, Mayor James, for your service and for leaving this place better than you found it.