City of Kansas City introduces 2025-2026 budget

Mayor Quinton Lucas and City Manager Brian Platt presented a proposed budget for the Fiscal Year 2026 to City Council on February 6. Total expenses for the proposed budget is $2,496,485,518, an 8.1% increase over last fiscal year’s budget.

This year’s budget process focuses on a number of priorities based on and subject to input from city residents. Residents are invited to learn more about the proposed budget plan and talk to city councilmembers online through the City’s engagement tool or in person at three upcoming public hearings:

Satuday, February 15:
9 am – Noon
Gregg/Klice Community Center, 1600 E 17th Terrace

Monday, February 24:
6 pm – 8:30 pm
Auditorium at Woodneath Library Center, 8900 NE Flintlock Road

Saturday, March 1:
9 am – Noon
Goppert Performing Arts Center at Avila University, 11901 Wornall Road

Proposed Budget Highlights:

The budget expenditures are grouped by goal:

Housing and Healthy Communities 

This goal totals $314.5 million, representing an increase of $13.2 million  

• Adds $1.4 million for illegal dumping enforcement 
• Adds $1.0 million for emergency rental assistance and $1.0 million to expand emergency shelter beyond extreme weather 
• Adds $1.8 million for ZeroKC to include five new positions to support efforts for the City’s initiative to end homelessness, with $750,000 of dedicated funding for homeless encampment clean up 
• Adds $2.0 million for World Cup Legacy Projects 
• Includes $12.5 million for year three of four, for a total investment of $50.0 million to the Housing Trust Fund 

Public Safety 

Represents largest expense in Governmental Activities budget, totaling $688.3 million 

• Public Safety accounts for 72.7% of General Fund and 41.6% of Governmental Activities Budget, and increases $71.9 million 
• Prioritizes increase in wages and benefits to ensure KCPD can recruit and retain quality public safety officers, and ensures competitive compensation for fire and emergency services personnel 
• Adds $1.0 million to support security needs in entertainment districts 
• Supports efficient court operations despite decline in citation volumes 

Infrastructure & Accessibility 

This goal totals $341.4 million, representing an increase of $17.5 million  

• Adds $3.0 million for Vision Zero, creating a safer Kansas City for all 
• Adds $2.6 million for operation and maintenance of the Streetcar-Main Street extension 
• Adds $4.0 million for LED streetlight conversion 
• Supports regional transportation with $69.9 million for KCATA, including $40.6 million from dedicated sales tax for transit operations 
• Continued support for enhanced snow removal operations, and sidewalk improvements

Inclusive Growth & Development 

This goal totals $161.4 million, representing a decrease of $4.0 million  

• Adds $500,000 for a contract management division and additional advocacy services 
• Adds $2.5 million for maintenance and event support for City convention facilities 
• Adds $2.4 million for VisitKC tourism efforts 
• Reorganized City Planning and Development to promote efficiency while continuing development activities at a productive pace 

Finance & Governance 

This goal totals $149.0 million, representing an increase of $26.2 million  

• Adds $10.2 million for year one of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software implementation (estimated $20.0 million total) 
• Adds $10.8 million of new facility improvement and City Hall repairs 
• Adds $1.1 million for replacement of fleet and EV charging stations 
• Adds 16 positions at $1.4 million for the Investigations Division in Human Resources 
• Adds $413,000 for new software for case management and legal research 

The budget schedule process calls for City Council to adopt the final fiscal year budget by March 20, 2025. Kansas City’s new fiscal year begins May 1.

Kansas City’s Office of Language Access will provide interpretation services for the February 15 and March 1 meetings for ASL, Spanish, Swahili and Chinese. Learn more by contacting the office at 816-513-1067 or OLA@kcmo.org.

To learn more, visit KCMO.gov/budget.