What's the state of Jackson County?
Mike Sanders
Missouri, you say?
OK, fine.
Still, I say, "You are a dummy."
Why?
Because I'm talking about the "state of" Jackson County, as in its condition, its current prospects.
County executive Mike Sanders lays it out for one and all at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the Legislative Chambers on the second floor of the Jackson County Courthouse in downtown Kansas City.
Oh, live streaming available on the Jackson County Web site at www.JacksonGov.org.
JEFFERSON CITY | Eastern Jackson County voters looking for early insight into what could be one of the closest primaries of the 2010 election season should head to Moreland Ridge Middle School in Blue Springs on Tuesday night.
State Rep. Bryan Pratt, of Blue Springs, is holding a town hall meeting from 6 to 8 p.m.
Pratt, the House speaker pro tem, is one of two incumbent Republican state representative lawyers with a variation of the first name "Brian" vying for the 8th District Senate Seat, which includes Lee's Summit, Blue Springs and rural Jackson County.
His opponent is Brian Yates, of Lee's Summit.
The race is sure to be one of the most closely watched in next August's primary, since it also represents a battle between Republican political consultants in the state. Yates is aligned with KC consultant Jeff Roe, while Pratt has connections to former House Speaker Rod Jetton.
JEFFERSON CITY | Gov. Jay Nixon on Monday appointed Gerald E. Winship to the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority.
Winship, 75, of Lee's Summit, works in public relations for Bank Liberty. He previously served on the authority for less than a full term earlier this decade. He is identified by Nixon's office as an independent, although he ran for state treasurer in 1980 and last served on the authority as a Republican. Nixon is a Democrat.
The authority oversees maintenance and operation of the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex. Winship will join the authority immediately, but must be confirmed by the Senate after the legislature reconvenes in January. If confirmed, his term ends in 2014.
Next Tuesday, voters consider the renewal of the quarter-cent sales tax for anti-drug efforts in Jackson County. Some voters have asked about how many of those sales-tax dollars get diverted to TIF.
The tax-increment finance projects divert sales and other taxes to pay for the infrasturcture and other costs related to new developments. And that does have an impact on COMBAT revenues.
Here's a rundown by year of total COMBAT sales tax revenues and the amount diverted to TIF:
2005: $19,966,383; $1,010,838 (to TIF)
2006 $20,489,528; $873,864
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and Jim Terry, a principal at TranSystems Corp., pitched their regional rail plan today to the editorial board of The Kansas City Star.
Sanders delivered a 20-page booklet on the plan and Terry said years of his engineering time already has gone into it. All of that work, both said, has been done at no charge to the county.
Terry stressed that this is a new concept in commuter rail, using smaller, diesel-powered trains. "It acts more like light rail, but does not use the electrical canopies overhead," Terry said.
What's more, Kansas City has a wealth of opportunity with so many miles of underused or abandoned rail corridors. The plan now calls for six major lines -- to KCI, Lee's Summit, Liberty, Legends in Wyandotte County, Blue Springs (with an Independence spur) and Grandview.
Bob Gough of the Jackson County Taxpayers Association has filed a formal complaint with the Missouri Ethics Commission against Freedom Inc.
Freedom officials on Friday afternoon acknowledged the lapse and said they would be filing the necessary reports soon.
Gough says in the complaint that Freedom has violated campaign finance disclosure requirements.
Gough said he noticed that Freedom had not filed any reports in 2009 on its activiites. Even if little money was collected or spent, Freedom would be required to file reports stating as such, Gough said.
Gough, a Lee's Summit Republican, said he called and asked the Missouri Ethics Commission why Freedom had not filed reports for 2009. They didn't offer any explanation.
So he filed his complaint, dated Oct. 9.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver has released a statement about Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders' proposed regional rail system.
Cleaver, who said he has been briefed on the plan, noted its "huge" cost, but called it "bold" and deserving of credit.
Here's his full statement:
"The plan proposed by the County Executive is ambitious and carries a hefty price tag. All transit proposals in our region are going to carry a similar huge cost because we are are so spread out. With so many miles needed to connect people to employment centers, it has often been a difficult to score well under current federal funding formulas. We simply are just not a dense region.
Jackson County voters will be asked to renew the Community Backed Anti-Drug Tax (COMBAT) on Nov. 3.
The Committee for County Progress (CCP), in its commitment to advocate for good government, is sponsoring a free public forum.
The forum will give voters the opportunity to hear from elected officials and the director of COMBAT exactly how their tax dollars are spent to prevent drug use and drug-related crime in Jackson County.
Reporters will be asking questions of panelists including Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and Prosecutor Jim Kanatzer.
The event is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday night (Oct. 13) at the UMKC School of Law Courtroom,
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders will field questions Friday from the media on Jackson County levies.
A public hearing is scheduled for Monday's meeting of the Jackson County Legislature at the Independence Courthouse Annex at 308 West Kansas.
The legislature must set levies for its general fund, health fund, Road and Bridge fund and Parks.
Doesn't sound like Sanders or legislators will be hiking the levies.
"We have been doing more with less in county government for several years and this will have to continue for the forseeable future," Sanders said in a news release. "I cannot recomend an increase in the county tax levy while citizens in our community are suffering through these tough economic times."
Legislators agreed. "I'm all for keeping the county levy unchanged in the interst of helpign the citizens of our community," said Dennis Waits, who represents the county's 3rd District.
The push to renew Jackson County's COMBAT tax has won a big supporter -- The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.
In a press statement issued today, the Chamber announced its board had voted last week to support the renewal of the 1/4-cent sales tax for COMBAT, set for a November ballot.
"The Chamber supports the COMBAT anti-drug tax because it has been effective, so much so that a steady stream of national and international folks pass through KC every year just to find out more," the press release stated. "It helps in creating a healthier community enviornment in which to do business."
The chamber cited COMBAT accomplishments:
-- Closed 12,091 drug houses.
-- Provide D.A.R.E. to over 200,000 students.
-- Funded law enforcement officers who made over 11,000 drug-related arrests.
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders confirmed this afternoon that the county will pursue a lawsuit against the city's TIF Commission if key changes in TIF oversight are not made.
"Our goal is to make sure that Jackson County taxpayers have a voice in how their tax dollars are being spent," Sanders said.
The county's demands were presented today to attorneys for the TIF commisison.
Joe Gonzales, TIF Commission executive director, said this afternoon that the TIF Commission reads state law differently than the county.
The TIF Commission has attempted to discuss the difference of opinion, Gonzales said.
It appears that the county is trying to take over the TIF process, Gonzales suggested. "This would effectively move the municipal tool to the county."
Some blogs today were touting this "scoop" from Jackson County: Longtime legislator Fred Arbanas, the former Chiefs tight end, is not running for re-election.
"That's a bunch of bunk," Arbanas responsed.
About two months ago, Arbanas made an emotional address at the weekly meeting of the Jackson County Legislature saying how much he has enjoyed his tenure and how he plans to stay.
Arbanas must rank among the longest serving elected officials in Kansas City's history. He was an original member of the county legislature, first elected in 1972.
Arbanas said he's not only enjoyed all those years but he remains a county asset. "I think I'm still doing a decent job," he siad. "I like staying busy."
Arbanas said he has not organized a campaign committee but he has made clear to numerous eastern Jackson County organizations that he intends to run for re-election.
By DAN MARGOLIES
The Star
A Kansas City woman claims she was fired after she asked management to stop sending her messages urging her and other employees to support Missouri gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof.
In a lawsuit filed today in Jackson County Circuit Court, Sylvia Y. Grass says she was terminated by Integrity Home Health, a home health care business, the day after she asked to be removed from a list of employees who were being bombarded with e-mails entreating them to vote for Hulshof and discouraging them from supporting his opponent, Jay Nixon.
The experience and sense of fairness that John O’Malley brought to his courtroom as a Jackson County circuit judge won’t be easily replaced.
One of the county’s longest-serving judges with almost 20 years on the bench, O’Malley’s last day was Friday. He is moving on to become a judge with the federal immigration court in Kansas City.
“The staff and the folks working here have been great,” O’Malley told a crowded courtroom at his going-away fete. Among those present was Senior Judge Gene Martin, who swore in O’Malley after his appointment by then-Gov. John Ashcroft in April 1989.
Kansas City and Jackson County leaders are expected to announce today at a 12:30 p.m. press conference an agreement to create a new regional jail.
The announcement would have several important impacts. It would allow the city to close or scale back operations of the Municipal Correctional Institution, which for years has needed upgrades, and save at least $1 million a year in operating costs. It also would mark a significant step in regional cooperation.
From our editorial board, should note:
Voters will help elect a new U.S. president Tuesday while making final decisions on races in Missouri and Kansas.
The Star’s recommendations for selected contested races:
UNITED STATESPRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENTBarack Obama and Joe Biden (D)
MISSOURIU.S. HOUSE4th District — Ike Skelton (D)5th District — Emanuel Cleaver (D)6th District — Kay Barnes (D)
GOVERNORJeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon (D)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORSam Page (D)
SECRETARY OF STATERobin Carnahan (D)
STATE TREASURERClint Zweifel (D)
ATTORNEY GENERALMike Gibbons (R)
AMENDMENTS AND PROPOSITIONSConstitutional Amendment No. 1: Shall the Constitution be amended to add a statement that English shall be the language of all governmental meetings? — NO
Missouri could have a record voter turnout in November, and election officials in the swing state’s second-largest county are several hundred workers short for the polls, The Star's Matt Campbell reports.
On the Kansas side, Johnson County officials say they are close to hitting their target number of poll workers.
Officials of the Kansas City and Jackson County election boards told the county Legislature on Monday they are working overtime to enter registration data from new voters.
“Are we caught up?” asked Charlene Davis, Republican director for the Jackson County Board of Election Commissioners. “No.”
Given all the yak about the "brawl" that followed Tuesday night's Jackson County Democratic Committee meeting, it's time to set the record straight.
This is right from the offices of the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and spokeswoman Ronda Montgomery:
About 8 p.m. Tuesday at the end of the meeting in the jury room at the Jackson County Courthouse in Independence, security officers heard a noise and "turned to observe an assault taking place."
The combatants: Steve LeVota, 40, (and one of four LeVota brothers) and Independence lawyer Marty Kerr, 65.
Steve Bough Well, it wasn't supposed to work out this way, but Steve Bough is now chairman of the Jackson County Democratic Committee as Democrats gear up for crucial fall elections.
Bough, 37, is a lawyer. He's well-liked and is president of the Committee for County Progress, one of the oldest and most venerable political clubs around town.
He also wasn't the original choice as the compromise candidate between the party's two reigning (and warring) factions -- those headed by Mike Sanders, the Jackson County executive, and Paul and Phil LeVota. Paul LeVota is an Independence state representative in line to become House speaker in Jefferson City if Democrats regain a majority in November.
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders introduced Mike Sharp as the county’s new sheriff Monday in the wake of his winning the Democratic primary last week.
There’s just one problem: Sharp has to beat Republican Ernie Griffin in the November election.
Speaking to the legislature on Monday, Sanders said he expected a “smooth transition” to Sharp. But Legislator Denny Waits reminded Sanders of the November election.
“I jumped the gun on that,” Sanders said, but he had Sharp say a few words to the legislature, anyway.
