Mayor Lucas Applauds Passage of City Budget, Small Business Emergency Relief Fund, E-Tax Deadline Extension
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas today applauded the approval of the Kansas City Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget; the Kansas City earnings tax payment deadline extension; and Mayor Lucas’s proposed Small Business Emergency Relief Fund:
“When working to adjust a budget in an uncertain time, we cannot first look to cut the very services our working class families rely on. I am proud that this Council has remained committed to funding the priorities everyday Kansas Citians need, including tenants’ rights, mental health, free buses, road infrastructure and supporting our police and firefighters. This budget is the most equitable in our City’s history, but we have more work to do as we continue to build the community our residents and our children deserve.”
“Further, I am heartened that the Council elected to provide Kansas City taxpayers some consistency and relief by extending the e-tax deadline until July 15, and a lifeline to the small, local businesses impacted the most by this public health crisis through our Small Business Emergency Relief Fund,” continued Mayor Lucas. “I appreciate my Council colleagues’ show of steady leadership during this unprecedented time.”
Highlights of Kansas City’s Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget:
- Funding for additional tenant advocacy positions within the Department of Neighborhood and Housing Services; for legal aid to provide legal assistance to tenants and mediation to support landlord/tenant disputes; to conduct a viability study on historic building and housing preservation.
- Funding to implement Zero Fare Transit.
- Increased funding for the Kansas City Police Department to hire more patrol officers and detectives; restoring Teens in Transition funding for youth violence prevention.
- A 70 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2018-2019 in funding for Public Works’ street-resurfacing fund to help meet road infrastructure and pothole repair needs.
- Full KC Film Commission funding restoration.