Missouri voters force Kansas City to raise police spending

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters have approved a constitutional amendment that will require Kansas City to increase the amount of money it spends on the police department. The amendment requires Kansas City to spend 25% of its general revenue on police, an increase from the current 20%. A state-controlled board operates the Kansas City police department. Republican lawmakers proposed the amendment after Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and other city leaders tried unsuccessfully in 2021 to control a portion of the police budget. Opponents of the amendment said it was as power grab by GOP lawmakers over a largely Democratic city.