http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-916769.mp3
Kansas City, MO – With the November ballot deadline looming and the public safety sales tax due to expire, the Kansas City city council is still divided on exactly what to put before the voters.
Some council members want to go with the plan presented by the police board and Chief Jim Corwin: keep things the way they are and dedicate the tax renewal to new police stations, a crime lab and replacing Vietnam War era helicopters.
Others agree with the mayor that part of the money should be spent to hire more officers. The deadline for that plan is a little later because the new state law making it possible hasn't gone into effect yet.
But with no council meetings next week, it could be tough to meet the August 19th deadline if the council should choose the police board plan.
Cathy Jolly chairs the Public Safety and neighborhoods committee. "We're not there yet,: she commented, "but I think we have a general outline of due dates and a plan of going forward to make sure that we preserve our ability to put the board's plan on the ballot."
Jolly will introduce that version at this weeks legislative session so the council can vote on it when it next meets on the deadline day itself - unless it is known by then that the needed nine votes will go instead to Mayor Funkhouser's plan.