Mayor Focuses on Programs to Help Rebuild the City's Tax Base
In his "State of the City" presentation, delivered at City Hall on May 28, Mayor Mark Funkhouser told residents that in order for Kansas City to remain viable, actions must be taken to repopulate the City's urban core, and to reverse the dramatic decline in the City's tax base.
"Within a five-mile radius south and east of this building, there are 100,000 fewer people than there were four decades ago," the Mayor said. "In 1970, Kansas City residents earned a substantial forty percent of the income in the metropolitan area. Since then, that proportion has dwindled to a mere eighteen percent."
This is a subject the Mayor often addresses when he speaks with neighborhood residents during his Town Hall meetings. Then, he uses maps to graphically illustrate the areas where population has been lost, and population gained. He points out that distressed areas of the City continue to lose population, while the population of Downtown and the Northland has increased.
Repopulating the City
"We have to encourage this population growth, and help it continue so that it can help rebuild the City's tax base," the Mayor says. He points out that, while Northland population has increased, the related increase in tax revenue is not yet adequate to offset the increased cost associated with building necessary infrastructure. "Much of the Northland is underdeveloped," the Mayor notes. "And when new development occurs, the City must start from scratch to provide streets and sewers and other infrastructure needs. That costs a lot."
The Mayor believes that in order to draw people back into Kansas City, and to retain current residents, city leaders must spend tax dollars wisely, and in ways that will address the underlying causes for loss of population.
"Today thee are three reasons that cause Kansas City residents to move out, and that keep new residents from moving in," the Mayor said. "These reasons are: dissatisfaction with basic city services, crime and the fear of crime, and concerns about education." To address these issues, the Mayor has introduced several new programs.
City That Works Initiative
The City That Works Initiative is designed to address problems related to the delivery of basic services, such as trash removal and flood control, and to improving basic infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and sewers. Because these services are handled at the operational level by city departments that report to the City Manager, and are funded by the City Council, the Mayor has engaged all these city leaders to help fashion a resolution.
"Each Tuesday I sit down with the City Manager, a City Council member, and a Department Director to find innovative ways to become more efficient in the delivery of services and more effective in the use of our resident's tax dollar," the Mayor notes. "This program will only deliver better basic services if we are open to alternatives, and if we leave excuses behind."
The City that Works meetings are open to the public and are available for viewing on the city's website.
Funding the Police Department
In order to address the public safety issue, the Mayor has taken a strong position on the necessity of full funding for the Police Department. He refused to sign the most recent budget because the City Council cut too much Police funding. He feared that officers would be taken off the street, and that the current graduating class of police recruits (one of the most diverse) could not be hired.
"Perhaps the most immediate impact this Council can have on public safety is to show, once and for all, that we put safety among our highst priorities," the Mayor said. "In the next few weeks this Council will have the opportunity to restore enough funding to make sure that this academy class will be hired and that the next two classes will start on time."
While some Council members continue to point out that the City has no more money to devote to the Police Department, other Council members, along with the Mayor, believe that adequate funding for Police is a matter of how existing funds are prioritized, and that by re-evaluating priorities, money can be found.
New Tools for Economic Development in Distressed Areas
Economically distressed areas of the city are also those with the highest crime rates. Because of this, and because the Mayor wants to improve the overall quality of life for residents in those areas, he has introduced the New Tools Initiative. New Tools is designed to find new methods of economic development that will work in distressed areas.
"The New Tools Taskforce will set a strategic direction for increasing the population density of Kansas City by creating economic opportunities for people and businesses. We need to find new ways to help people earn more and to help companies hire more workers. Doing so will increase property values, rebuild the City's tax base and lead to safe, livable neighborhoods," the Mayor notes.
Education for Kansas City's Children
To address the education issue, the Mayor is taking a more proactive role than previous Mayors. He is calling for a City-wide "Education Summit," and for Kansas City to compete with other cities for the opportunity to pilot a program in the city core that is similar to the "Harlem Children's Zone." The Obama administration encourages cities to implement the HCZ program, which has proven successful in dramatically increasing the graduation rate among inner-city children.
The Mayor acknowledges that the Education Summit and Harlem Children's Zone are huge undertakings that will require the full support of Kansas City residents, as well as numerous community leaders. Toward that end, the Mayor has established several working groups composed of highly accomplished citizens who will be spearheading these efforts.
"Kansas City is a city divided in so many ways, and education is one of our most divisive issues," Mayor Funkhouser says. "But education will unify us. Jim Nutter [a noted community leader and businessman] told me that he is not convinced the Summit will work, but if I am willing to take the risk to do it, he is willing to take the risk of supporting me. And, he said, 'If we pull it off, it will be the most important thing to happen to Kansas City in the past one hundred years.' With his help, and yours, we will absolutely succeed."
