The metro area needs to look at increased local government cooperation to save money and deliver services, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders says.
“We have sought in this government to be a catalyst for regional cooperation,” Sanders said Thursday his annual state-of-the-county address.
One example he cited was his recently unveiled plan for a commuter rail system to serve most of the metro area. He’s hoping for federal stimulus money to build the $1.03 billion Kansas City Regional Rapid Rail system within a couple of years.
“Public transit must cross city, county and state lines if it is to serve the people,” he said.
The area “cannot miss this prime opportunity” if it is to remain economically competitive nationally, he said.
County Legislator Theresa Garza-Ruiz, D-Blue Springs, said the rail plan could be a major issue over the next year.
“Everybody is excited, and they want it,” she said after Sanders’ speech, “but how do we get there?”
Sanders also touched on budget issues. He said the county has cut 77 positions this year, including 37 in the courts. Most of the court cuts have been through layoffs, and most of the others have been through attrition. He has indicated no cuts are anticipated in 2010.
“We have trimmed our budgets further than we even thought possible,” Sanders said.
Sanders and legislators also say there’s a high level of cooperation among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of county government – and say that’s helped avoid controversy and chaos over the last three successive years of budget cuts.
“If you had a conflict in a time of no money, it would destroy the county,” said Legislator Henry Rizzo, D-Kansas City.
Sanders pointed to several accomplishments over the past year, including:
n Not raising taxes despite a shrinking tax base, meaning local homeowners will see the county portion of their property taxes actually shrink this year.
n Last week’s voter renewal of the county’s anti-drug tax by a better than two-to-one margin.
n Renovations outside “the national landmark that we now refer to as the Truman Courthouse” on the Independence Square. Sanders and other officials declared an emergency at the building in January and set in motion work to remove the retaining wall that was trapping rainwater and threatening the building’s foundation. He vowed that officials will press ahead to find the money to renovate the interior of the building.
