KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – In November 2022, Missouri voters passed an amendment that would require Kansas City to spend a larger portion of revenue on police funding.
The amendment requires the city to spend 25 percent of general revenue on police, up from the current 20 percent requirement.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has called the move unconstitutional and misleading to Missouri voters.
Wednesday morning the Missouri State Supreme Court will hear oral arguments from Quinton Lucas v. Missouri Secretary of State John R. Ashcroft and Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick.
The amendment is to Senate Bill 678, increasing the requirement to 25 percent of revenue.
Senate Bill 678 Amendment: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to authorize laws, passed before December 31, 2026, that increase minimum funding for a police force established by a state board of police commissioners to ensure such police force has additional resources to serve its communities.”
Mayor Lucas argues that the following fiscal summary note is misleading to Missouri voters. The note states “state and local government entities estimate no additional costs or savings.”
The Kansas City Police Department is the only department in Missouri under state control. The vote passed in November was decided by voters across the entire state.
According to Election Contest case number SC99931, four questions will be presented to the court.
– Whether registered voters can challenge constitutional amendments once they become effective post-election
– Whether the fiscal note summary was insufficient and unfair
– If the fiscal note is found to be insufficient and unfair, whether the deficiencies are of such magnitude to cast doubt on the validity of the vote of the amendment
– Whether the election code or the Missouri Constitution permits post-election challenges to a constitutional amendment’s fiscal note summary
The mayor is seeking to set aside the results of the election on November 8, 2022, and order a new election.
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