Our residents deserve the predictability of steadied, measured changes to our property tax valuations. As County Legislator, I will sponsor legislation and work with other departments to prevent rapid, unexpected rises in property taxes. Proposals like property tax caps for seniors, changing the date of collection away from the December 31st timeframe, a true payment program that mimics a 12 month payment plan, and other protections that help protect communities from gentrification.

Access to well-paying, high-quality jobs is an opportunity every member of our county deserves. I will work to create partnerships and training opportunities through our local school systems and unions that help open the doors to better jobs for all.

As the Treasurer of the Board for the Kansas City, MO Public Schools, Manny knows the value of education in our county. As Jackson County Legislator, he will work tirelessly to promote learning opportunities so our future generations can stay in Jackson County and keep it a great place to live, work, and lay.

With the passage of our Children’s Services Fund, Jackson County took an important step forward in protecting some of our most vulnerable. Now, it’s time for us to pass a Senior Services Fund to help protect our fellow Jackson Countians in their golden years. This program could help establish senior focused minor home repair programs, wheelchair ramp building programs, emergency tree trimming services and help protect seniors from property crimes by establishing funding for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) programs that have become popular in many neighborhood organizations. These types of focused funding strengthen our communities and empower neighbors.

Jackson County Parks are some of the nicest in the metropolitan. What we need now is greater access to these parks for all of our county residents, programming that offers partnering opportunities with schools and community organizations, and a conservation plan that will keep our parks beautiful and clean for the next generation.

Imagine a County where instead of just focusing on our suburban parks system, we spend resources equitably by bolstering our Kansas City Parks System and collaboratively and equitably bridged funding needs. Kessler Park could be as strong as Loose Park and public pools and spray parks can keep our urban centers cool on hot days. As your Legislator, I will lead the fight on all of this.

Jackson County residents deserve an open, transparent government that uses their tax dollars efficiently and effectively. As Legislator, I will work with the rest of the county to develop and implement transparency and accountability measures that will do just that.

The arts provide excellent opportunities for our county residents, for growth in our young people, and for promotion of our county to the surrounding areas and people further away. We need to sponsor beautification programs, promotion of new and exciting artists in our community, and access to the arts for all of our neighborhoods.

In the wake of the pandemic, we learned the importance of swiftly and efficiently working regionally to address a health crisis. We must prioritize and sustain a health system that is built upon a strong workforce and talent pipeline to sustain the County through any health emergency our community may face in the future.

The County funds several health facilities through the distribution of the tax levy. When there is lack of clarity in the State law, the County can further define health definitions. So as the State struggles to determine if the trigger law, tied to the fall of Roe V. Wade, potentially impacts the definition of when a woman becomes pregnant and may prevent distribution of birth control. However, the County Legislature can further define definitions to offer greater protections for women and families-and we should!

At Kansas City Public School District, all policy is founded in equity and thus as a legislator, I would propose we propose to do the same at Jackson County. From a tiered funding model, similar to that of KCPS, to a policy review process to ensure all areas governance eliminate discriminatory practices and policy.

Our County infrastructure is literately crumbling in front of our eyes. Our Historic County Court house needs major renovation in order to save the building and make it comfortable for our county employees and residents to use. By strategically investment in our Infrastructure we can stimulate our local economy by hiring small business, growing our local work force in diverse communities and empowering are trained and skilled trades to construct the County of tomorrow. We can build up our communities through strategic investments into our infrastructure but without experienced leadership, the efforts could be squandered.