KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Decarcerate KC led a coalition of Kansas City, Missouri, organizations Sunday morning, just two days before residents are set to vote on a public safety sales tax that would fund a new city jail.
Rally-goers stood in opposition of the public safety sales tax, asking Kansas Citians to vote no on Question 1 of the April 8 ballot.
"People need to understand what they're paying for," said Pateisha Royal, a leader with Decarcerate KC.
As the organization has canvassed, Royal said she's noticed some Kansas Citians aren't informed on Question 1.
"This tax is erosive," she said. "It continues to chip away at what finances individuals are already struggling to save."
If passed, Kansas City would see the renewal of its public safety sales tax for 20 more years. Revenue from the 1/4-cent sales tax would go toward building a new city jail alongside the Jackson County Detention Center, located near Interstate 70 and U.S. 40 Highway.
City officials said it would cost more than $200 million to build.
Councilmember Crispin Rea said if the public safety sales tax passes, he expects it to generate $24 million a year, which is about $480 million over the course of the 20-year renewal.
"That is enough to meet a number of needs beyond just the detention center, rehabilitation center," Rea said in an interview with KSHB 41 News in March.
Rea said mental health services at the new detention center would help get to the root causes of why people end up in jail.
He also said it's critical for the city to address its 911 wait-call times; revenue from the public safety sales tax would go toward resolving issues with the system.
The tax currently funds public safety infrastructure, like Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department and Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department buildings and resources.
Without a current detention center, Kansas City contracts with Vernon and Johnson counties in Missouri to house detainees.
And without jurisdiction over detainees placed in Vernon and Johnson county jails, proponents of the public safety sales tax, like Councilmember Melissa Patterson Hazley, highlight issues with repeat offenders.
“They're fully aware we don't have a detention center," she said at a meeting in March. "They’re fully aware they can keep misbehaving, and there’s really not a lot we can do about it.”
Members of Decarcerate KC said taxes should go toward addressing the root causes of repeat offenders' actions, not incarceration.
"I would definitely like to see it go into mental health," Royal said. "I would like to see us fund schools and not cages. I would like to see it go into housing opportunities for individuals and more employment opportunities as well."
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.