Government Reform

What the Mayor Thinks:

If your city government is broken…and it has been for decades…you need someone who knows how to fix it. If your city government is broken…and it has been for decades…the last thing you need is another slick politician. If your city government is broken…and it has been for decades…the last thing you need is someone who backs down in the face of adversity.

What the Mayor Has Done:

I fought hard for a professional city manager not aligned to special interests. I have that now.
And, step by step, with the help of that professional city manager and a professional city staff, I am fixing what is broken.
I’ve fought for policies to control the previously out-of-control use of tax incentives for developers. I’ve insisted on responsible and balanced budgets. I’ve stopped the runaway borrowing that put our city in a financial hole, while doing nothing to address the $13 billion in deferred maintenance we now face.

What the Mayor Plans to Do

I’m not done yet.
With that professional city manager on the job, I will continue to work for sound budgets designed to strengthen city services for city residents. While I don’t rule out corporate tax incentives under the right circumstances, I will look closely and evaluate each request on its impact to the entire city, not on its benefit to fatten the pockets of special interests.
I’m committed to finding ways to fund much needed capital improvements long term, assuring that Kansas City will remain one of the most livable cities in the nation. It is time to do something about $13 billion in deferred city maintenance, a to-do list that fills an entire book.
The powers that like the status quo – a group primarily made up of campaign contribution hungry politicians and leaders from the suburbs – have fought back. I haven’t let their antics stop me from reforming your city government, and I will not stop.