Quinton Lucas’ State of the City address focuses on fiscal success, COVID recovery, and setbacks in ‘homicide epidemic’

Mayor Quinton Lucas at the State of the City Address // Photo by Maddie McBratney

Mayor Quinton Lucas delivered his fifth State of the City Address on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at Children’s Mercy Hospital. This was the first in-person State of the City since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event was kicked off with the presentation of the flags by the Kansas City Fire Department. Newly appointed poet laureate of Kansas City, Melissa Ferrer Civil, delivered a performance that received a standing ovation.

Langston Milsap, senior at the Paseo Academy of Fine Arts, was given the honor of introducing Mayor Quinton Lucas. 

Mayor Quinton Lucas and Langston Milsap. // Photo by Maddie McBratney

The Mayor’s speech began with celebrating the opening of the new Kansas City International Airport Terminal, which he remarks was done ahead of time and on budget. He then goes on to highlight the construction of a new facility dedicated to women’s professional sports. 

Tying the two together, Mayor Lucas says “in two years, Kansas City welcomes the world to town, hosting six Soccer World Cup matches, including one quarterfinal, bringing more investment, jobs, and visitors from around the world.”

After the $70 million budget shortfall in late 2020 Mayor Lucas says “Today, I am proud to say we are in Kansas City’s strongest fiscal position ever, with a record high rainy-day fund balance, strong credit ratings, and we have reduced unnecessary spending, taking on fewer risky debt obligations and have improved the delivery of important city services across our community.”

Mayor Lucas says that “Kansas City today is proving how successful we can be at delivering the basics our residents expect while building a City that is welcoming events, investment, and visitors from all over the world.  The ‘Paris of the Plains’ can also get the basics right.”

For those who hate plastic trash bags, he also brings the good news that the city will purchase and deliver 170,000 trash cans to residents in each district. Also, each Kansas City employee is to be getting a raise that outpaces inflation in 2024.

The affordable housing trust fund will also have funded 1,800 new homes by the end of the year, which Mayor Lucas says is “giving new homes to an estimated 4,000 Kansas Citians searching for attainable and affordable housing.”

The City is also planning on dedicating $1 million to, as Mayor Lucas says, “mitigate lead in soils of vacant properties in the Ivanhoe neighborhood and to prepare the property for use as infill housing.”

As for expanding the City’s funding, Mayor Lucas says, “Last year, the United States Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration named Kansas City a “Tech Hub” for the biotechnology industry, unlocking more than $75 million in federal funding opportunities for our region.” 

Focusing on the financials, Mayor Lucas mentions the recently appointed Small Business Task Force. Mayor Lucas says “The upcoming budget also provides funding once more to support small business and incentives for restaurants as we approach major events in the years ahead and restaurants look to expand seating capacity, add patio spaces, and make permanent many of the changes in outdoor dining seen in recent years.”

As for how businesses will be expanding, Mayor Lucas recently appointed the New Americans Commission. They are a group searching for new ways to support the growing community of immigrants and refugees.

One of the current projects in progress is to expand language access. Mayor Lucas says the “Council, led by Mayor Pro Tem Parks-Shaw, is also working to improve language access, particularly when it comes to translating city services, documents, and meetings, so everyone can participate in local government and receive the resources they need.”

He then reinforces the importance that as he says “We also will continue to do all we can to ensure there is housing for all.” Part of how this is being done is that in response to the many advocates which has resulted in the expansion of renters rights.

Part of this is by helping to provide legal support through the recently founded Tenants’ Right to Counsel program.

Mid-way through the Mayor’s speech, a group of protesters made their presence known by quietly raising homemade signage. Protesting the Israel / Hamas conflict, signs stated things such as “48 cities say ceasefire, let’s make it 49,” “KC for ceasefire,” and “Save 2.2 million.”

Protesters at State of the City Address // Photo by Maddie McBratney

Though the protesters were unsuccessful in gaining the attention of the Mayor, they were not escorted out of the event. Protesters were later asked by Kansas City Police to lower their signs.

With a more somber tone, Mayor Lucas broached the topic of violence within the city by talking about the funeral that he attended of Amauri Hughes. Hughes was a student at Grandview High School when her life was tragically cut short because of homicide.

This led to a conversation between Mayor Lucas and a local business owner in regard to public safety. The conclusion drawn was that the solution needed to be multi-faceted. Programs for improvement formerly discussed such as housing, equitable development, healthcare, and addressing poverty are all a part of the long term solution.

“We have to have enough police in this city. We have to have call takers who answer 911 when our residents call. We have to have services for those in crisis. We have to speak to our young people before they solve disputes with violence. And, we as leaders and adults have to show a path of collaboration in how we address our issues.”

In aid of the police, Mayor Lucas announced that the city collaborated to give the Kansas City Police Department more than their personnel budget request. Salaries of all 911 call takers and dispatchers will be reviewed and adjusted to be among the top in the region. In addition, officers will be given pay raises with the new starting salary going from $50,000 up to $65,000.

Aside from increasing protections within the city, Mayor Lucas touched on the multiple ways the city has worked to end gun violence at the source. Legislation has been passed that prohibits the sale of bullets to minors, and another banning the use of switches. Millions are continually being invested in violence prevention through community-based interventions.

“This year, we are proposing to allocate $7 million out of our budget, dedicated to violence intervention and prevention.”

His closing remarks were made with a tie back to the youth of the city. He recently visited with a group of 50 eighth grade girls from Kansas City, primarily Black and Latina. He asked them about their dreams, and hopes that he can continue to better the city in which they are growing up so that they may one day achieve those dreams.