By Kathy Feist
More than 43,000 Jackson County voters signed a petition to recall Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr.
On September 30th, Jackson County voters will decide if he should stay in office or be booted out.
(Since this story appeared in print, White has filed a last-minute appeal with the Missouri Court of Appeals to stop the recall. That appeal was denied this morning.)
Before they make that decision, voters should take into consideration what would happen if White is dismissed.
According to the county charter, the Chairman of the Jackson County Legislature, DaRon McGee, would appoint a temporary executive to fill the role for 30 days.
After 30 days, the legislature will gather to vote on a candidate to fill the role for the next 14 months, until the next open election.
If the legislature cannot come to an agreement, a presiding judge chooses that person to fill the role.
“It can be anyone,” says McGee. “But the first step is to see if the recall passes.”
White is on the hot seat because of the heightened increase in property taxes–an average of nearly 20% in 2019 and 32% in 2023. (According to a report in Newsweek, metropolitan areas nationwide have seen a 30% jump in property taxes between 2019 and 2023.) Voters were willing to forgive that detail when he ran for re-election in 2022. But with another sharp increase in 2023 and a ruling in favor of property tax owners by the State Tax Commission, confidence in White diminished.
The 2022 election also presented a new set of legislators with new ideas, which has added to the growing gap between the executive office and legislature. Unable to find a middle ground, fingers were pointed and legislation stood at an impasse.
This past year saw a five-month delay on approval of the county budget.
Confusion over funding from the pandemic’s American Rescue Plan Act continues to this day.
Rarely did White attend a legislature meeting in the past few years.
White made his rounds this month pleading his case.
He revealed he had been fighting cancer beginning in 2022.
He also said he stood up for the county against the stadium. “It’s not a good deal,” he told a crowd at the South KC Democrat Club. “You’re paying more and getting less.” He noted the state paid $3 million a year and got back $36 million in sales tax and the city paid $2 million and got back $18 million in sales tax. Yet the county paid $54 million and got back only $6 million in sales tax.
He also said under his leadership in the past few years he raised county employee salaries, improved health care programs and constructed a new jail.
He has some good points.
Oddly enough, White found himself in this very situation almost 10 years ago. White was appointed County Executive by the legislature in January 11, 2016. In November 8 of that year he was elected by the people. He replaced Mike Sanders who had resigned. White had only been a county legislator for less than a year. The former Royals baseball player has been overwhelmingly re-elected ever since.
White says he would not change a thing if he could do it all over again.
Voters will express their own confidence on Tuesday.