Statement on Amendment 4/MO Ballot

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce opposes Amendment 4 on the upcoming Missouri ballot.

Amendment 4 permits the Missouri Legislature to mandate that the City of Kansas City, Missouri devote no less than one-fourth of its general revenues (up from one-fifth) to fund the Kansas City Police Department.

There are several reasons for our opposition.

• It has been our longstanding policy position that local budget decisions should be decided by local elected officials. This is a decision best left to the Kansas City, Missouri City Council – not the Missouri General Assembly and a statewide vote.
• Amendment 4 creates a dangerous exception to the Missouri constitution, which prohibits an increase in the level of any activity or service mandated by the general assembly or a state agency of other Missouri political subdivisions, unless the state pays for any increased costs. If passed, Amendment 4 could lead to other constitutional amendments that harm Missouri’s local governments and taxpayers by creating unfunded mandates on local governments.