Proposed city jail has a site, but what about funding?

By Kathy Feist

Now that Kansas City has announced a location for a new municipal jail, how will the City fund it?

That question was asked and answered at the December 9th South Kansas City Alliance meeting by speaker Crispin Rea, 4th District at Large City Councilmember. The meeting was held at the South Patrol community room.

Rea, a prosecution attorney, has spearheaded the City’s Special Committee on the Municipal Rehabilitation and Detention Center. In November he was able to work out an agreement between the City and Jackson County for the purchase of 23 acres on the new detention center campus at I-435 and 40 Hwy.

What’s next?

“I’m hopeful that within the next couple weeks, [the City Council] will be voting to place the renewal of the Public Safety Sales Tax on the ballot in April,” said Rea.

Voter approval would renew a quarter cent sales tax that was approved 15 years ago. The Public Safety Sales Tax was introduced to fund construction of the South Patrol, East Patrol and Shoal Creek Patrol facilities, crime lab, police academy in the northland and other infrastructure upgrades.

Rea says the sales tax will generate about $24 million a year. That’s a total of $360 million over 15 years. Still, he worries.

“Will that be a large enough amount to cover the construction of the facility as well as other needs that the police department might have?” he asked. “That’s the conversation we need to have: what exactly the sales tax will pay.”

The City has agreed to purchase the property from Jackson County for $2.3 million.

Beyond that costs are vague. An architect and builder won’t be chosen until Spring.

However building plans are inked out to some capacity. After 10 months of public hearings and the input of industry experts, the committee has agreed on a 250-bed facility that will be divided in terms of mental health, substance abuse and detention beds.

“So many folks that come through the system have mental health issues, whether diagnosed, undiagnosed or untreated,” he said.

The American Psychological Association reports that “64 percent of jail inmates, 54 percent of state prisoners, and 45 percent of federal prisoners” have reported mental health concerns. Another recent study has shown that people with mental illness in the U.S. are 10 times more likely to be incarcerated than they are to be hospitalized.

Rea said analysts reported that 11.8 percent of Kansas City’s inmate population have an acute mental health need, such as serious bipolar, schizophrenia and other diagnoses. That report will be taken into account when budgeting for mental health care.

Rea added that he looked forward to working with the Missouri Department of Mental Health when it builds its 200-bed, $300 million mental health facility in Kansas City (location still undecided).

“Quite honestly, some of these folks should be in a mental health hospital rather than a detention center while they’re going through the municipal court system,” he said.

Kansas City has not had its own jail since 2009. Detainees were sent to Jackson County jail until 2019 when its contract expired. Since then, detainees have been sent to Vernon and Johnson county jails. Rea says at times those counties have refused to take inmates.

“We’ve had no choice but to put those individuals back out into our neighborhoods and our communities,” he said. “So it’s not just a matter of capacity, it’s also a matter of control.”

“We have such an incredible need in this community,” he said.

State Legislators

Missouri House Rep. Mark Sharp and newly elected Missouri Senator Patty Lewis discussed the upcoming legislative session.

Rep. Sharp predicted that Kansas City would receive state funding for Arrowhead Stadium improvements and for transportation infrastructure in lieu of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.

Both Sharp and Lewis planned to work on a bill that would eliminate tax on diapers and feminine hygiene products. Those products have a 4.225% sales tax, known as a luxury tax, meaning they are non-essential.

Sen. Lewis said she had already filed bills for the state’s 103rd General Assembly. A former nurse, Lewis’ filed bills primarily dealing with health issues such as telehealth, firearm sales to those with suicidal ideation, and women’s health.

City Council

City Councilmember Darrell Curls, who represents the 5th District, said that thanks to the gas station moratorium he introduced and helped pass, Hickman Mills residents will have a say on the proposed gas station at 9300 Blue Ridge Blvd., formerly an Arvest Bank building. The developer must apply for a special use permit, which is a new process for gas station construction. The special use permit requires a public hearing, allowing surrounding neighbors a chance to have their voices heard.