Missouri voters recently passed a constitutional amendment requiring Kansas City to spend at least 25% of its budget on police. This highlights tension between Republicans at the state level who want to protect police funding and city leaders, including those in the predominantly Black city, who want more control over how local tax dollars are spent. Kansas City is unique in that it does not have local control over its police department, which is overseen by a state board.
There have been historical struggles over police control in Missouri, dating back to the Civil War when the state took control of the St. Louis police department. Kansas City has had a similar history of state control over its police department. In recent years, there has been a push for more local control, with city leaders attempting to divert some police funding to social services and crime prevention programs. However, GOP lawmakers have accused these efforts of being an attempt to defund the police.
The recent amendment requiring increased police funding in Kansas City has once again stirred controversy and raised questions about who should have control over police budgets. Mayor Quinton Lucas has hinted at a possible rival amendment that supports local control over police departments in all communities. The ongoing power struggle highlights the need to address systemic racism and ensure that communities have a say in how their local tax dollars are allocated.
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