Kansas City held its nonpartisan primary April 2. Emerging out of a crowded 11 candidate field, Kansas City City Council members Quinton Lucas and Jolie Justus will proceed and face off in the general election for Kansas City mayor.

Justus was the front-runner heading into the primary and took the largest percentage of the vote with 23.1 percent, with the support of about 10,000 voters. Lucas took second place with 20.7 percent of the vote, with about 9,000 votes.

The primary suffered from low voter turnout with only roughly 45,000 Kansas Citians making it to the polls.

Justus previously served on the Missouri State Senate from 2007-2015 as a member of the Democratic Party – rising to the rank of minority floor leader. Justus has served since 2015 on the City Council.  

Before entering politics Justus earned a law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. At the law firm of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, she is the director of pro bono services. Justus has the support and endorsement of the incumbent, term-limited mayor, Sly James.

Lucas has served on Kansas City’s City Council since 2015. He grew up on the east side of Kansas City and earned his law degree from Cornell Law School. He currently teaches at the University of Kansas law school.

As a city councilman, Lucas is notable for an ordinance he sponsored that aimed to cap tax incentives for developers except for in areas economically distressed as judged by the city.  Lucas earned the endorsement of Freedom Inc. – a leading black political organization in the city.

Lucas has touted his upbringing in Kansas City and his championing of affordable housing during his campaign. Justus focused on the considerable experience she would bring to the position emphasizing her time on the state Senate.

The two candidates share key similarities on most matters of policy. They have voted in agreement on many issues during the four years they have served together on the City Council. Both candidates have previously noted their similarities but have emphasized leadership styles and perspectives as critical contrasts. Lucas highlights his perspective as a native Kansas Citian, while Justus emphasizes her pragmatic leadership and experience.

The reputation and popularity of the outgoing Mayor James could play a significant role in the race. James’ endorsement of Justus, in addition to some of her comments, suggest that she will likely continue many of the policies of James and in much the same fashion.

Lucas shares broad agreement with Justus on policy issues but has sought to downplay his own relationship with the incumbent mayor. Lucas has criticized some current City Hall policies, including city incentives for developers.

In distancing himself from the mayor, Lucas may be considering Kansas City’s long tradition of backing outsider candidates for the position of mayor.

James himself is a product of that tradition. In 2011, with no previous public service, James ran for mayor of Kansas City. Over the course of the primary and the general elections, he defeated the candidate endorsed by many of the previous mayors, Mike Burke.

The tradition seems to have faltered in 2019. For the first time in two decades neither candidate will automatically have the mantle of outsider as both are currently serving on the City Council.

The general election is expected to focus on issues such as equality, transportation and crime. The issue of inequality has gained special attention as continued efforts to revitalize downtown Kansas City have progressed with some success. Many residents are angered at housing prices, unaffordability and the benefits of Kansas City’s prosperity not being equally distributed across the city – an issue that both candidates have vowed to improve upon.

Both candidates have made the economic development of Kansas City a cornerstone of their campaigns. Justus and Lucas have campaigned on similar policies to improve infrastructure and public transportation across the city.

Lucas has also come out strongly in favor of tax incentive policies that favor small businesses and ensuring that more municipal projects go to small businesses rather than large corporations.

Justus has spoken about the need to end the “Border War” between Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, by working with Kansas officials and the need to work with leading innovators in the region to cultivate an environment more favorable to small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The general election will be held June 18.

As of October 2, 2018, Kansas City mayoral candidates are (top row, from left): Quinton Lucas, Scott Wagner, Rita Berry, Phil Glynn. (Bottom row, from left) Jermaine Reed, Alissia Canady, Scott Taylor, Steve Miller.

Election season is upon us, and The Hilltop Monitor is going to have a series of articles previewing local elections for this year and next year. An important election coming in mid-2019 is the Kansas City mayoral election. It is important to note that this election is non-partisan and will mark the end of current mayor Sly James’ final term.

Currently, the number of candidates is down to eight after Jason Kander dropped out, citing his battle with PTSD and depression as the reason for his exit. Here is a quick synopsis on each candidates’ background, ideas and goals, as well as the potential impact this election will have on Kansas City.

Rita Berry, or Rita Bee, is a Kansas City businesswoman. Formerly the general manager at gospel radio station KGGN 890 AM, she now volunteers at her church. Berry, a non-politician, says she will put people first. Her main focus will be lowering the crime rate, which she hopes to accomplish by strengthening the relationship between communities and the police.

Jermaine Reed is serving his second term on the city council, where he represents the third district. As chairman of the transportation and infrastructure committee, he oversaw the grand opening of the streetcar and looks to continue to improve transportation in the city. Reed has fought to remove economic barriers for citizens and establish a living wage – something he would continue to fight for as mayor. He also wants to create more jobs – one way he plans to do this is by having Kansas City natives work on the construction of a new terminal at Kansas City International airport.

Phil Glynn owns a small business in the Crossroads Art District and was previously a member of the Tax Increment Financing commission in Kansas City. Glynn’s plan for Kansas City centers around investing in the city’s greatest resources: people, neighborhoods and the river. In regards to people, his focus will be on improving the quality of and access to education, funding a program to teach job skills to citizens and implementing common sense gun control laws. For our neighborhoods, he wants to produce more affordable housing and expand the reach of public transportation. Glynn believes that the Missouri River is currently being under-utilized and that it holds economic and educational potential.

Steve Miller is a lawyer who spent 35 years in construction law and co-founded a law firm that operates in downtown Kansas City. Miller pledges to keep the public’s trust and finish the projects that were started under Sly James, like KCI and the streetcar. Miller’s focus will mainly be on lowering the crime rate which he calls a “national embarrassment,” as well as improving education. Miller also wants to fairly allocate resources to improve all regions and neighborhoods of Kansas City.

Before being elected to the city council in 2015 to represent the fifth district, Alissia Canady served as assistant prosecuting attorney for Jackson County. Public safety is her number one issue. As mayor, Canady would focus on addressing gun violence, mental health and health equity concerns. For the economy, she vows to put small businesses before developers and create an entrepreneur-friendly city. Canady also wants to attract high-quality jobs and, like other candidates, wants construction of the airport to benefit Kansas City workers and companies.

Scott Taylor has served as a city councilman for the sixth district since 2011 and was appointed as the chairman of the planning and zoning committee by Mayor Sly James in 2015. Taylor also served as vice president to the Center School District Board. First and foremost, Taylor vows to be transparent to the citizens of Kansas City. Taylor’s main focuses will be on improving and maintaining neighborhoods, reducing crime, improving education and supporting small businesses.

Scott Wagner represents the first district and currently serves as mayor pro tem. That means he would assume mayoral duties in the event of a mayor’s absence due to death, physical incapacity, impeachment or resignation. As mayor, Wagner would continue to fight for the issues he has fought for while on the city council. He will look to improve the safety and appearance of the city and will continue his work on economic initiatives that will bring new jobs into Kansas City. Wagner received his bachelor of science in history, business and economics from William Jewell College.

Quinton Lucas is an attorney and, currently, the youngest city councilman, where he represents the third district. Lucas’ main goal, if elected mayor, would be to “make sure everyone in KC has the opportunity to succeed, no matter their zip code.” One of the policies he has fought for during his time on the city council, and will continue to fight for, is increasing the availability and quality of affordable housing. For public safety, Lucas wants more policing and better response times.

One thing that all of these candidates generally agree upon is that this is one of the most significant elections in the city’s history. They all understand the importance of continuing the momentum started by Sly James. This will determine whether Kansas City will continue to grow and improve, or whether growth will falter, setting us back. It is important to have a strong leader devoted to the people of Kansas City in order for this city to continue its growth.

Sly James – elected mayor in 2011 – created a legacy that will be remembered for generations to come. Some of James’ achievements include overseeing work on the streetcar, turning Kansas City into a hub for innovation with initiatives like KC Stat, and improving the city’s national profile. His ‘4 E Agenda,’ the E’s standing for education, efficiency, employment and enforcement, has been the driving force behind most of his policies and accomplishments.

James is in his final term, which will end in 2019, but his legacy is one that will be talked about, seen and remembered for many years to come.

The election will take place Tuesday, June 25, 2019. Remember, whether it is a presidential election, a mayoral election or even a city council election, it is always important for people to go out and vote.

Photo courtesy of KCUR.