Jackson County unanimously passes 2025 budget Monday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2025 Jackson County budget was unanimously approved on Monday – six months into the year.
The county budget was supposed to be finalized in December 2024. After the Jackson County Legislature approved the 2025 budget on Dec. 31, 2024, it was vetoed by White.
Less than two weeks ago, on May 30, White announced that a major budget compromise had been reached. Then on Monday, June 9, 2025, the amended budget was finally approved 9-0.
Kansas City's Country Club Plaza struggles with closures and empty shops
White said it restores critical services and delivers historic investments in community needs, including public safety, affordable housing, nonprofit support and health equity.
'While this process took longer than any of us wanted, I'm grateful that we've reached an agreement that responds to the real and pressing needs of our community,' White said in a news release.
White said Legislative Chairman DaRon McGee, Budget Chair Charlie Franklin and Vice Chair Donna Peyton were leaders in 'crafting a path forward that protects vital services while expanding support for those most in need.'
White said the 2025 adopted budget restores critical funding and reinvests in services that residents rely on every day. He said key highlights of the adopted budget include:
Restoration of Essential Funding: Reinstates millions of dollars to prevent layoffs and maintain services in critical departments, including the sheriff's office and county counselor's office.
Expanded Support for Nonprofits: Doubles outside agency funding from $3 million to $6 million, overseen by the Legislature, to assist nonprofit partners addressing housing, food insecurity, youth services, violence prevention and more.
Strategic Use of Marijuana Sales Tax Revenue: Allocates more than $10 million in voter-approved revenue to fund initiatives such as affordable housing, broadband expansion, health equity and enhanced nonprofit funding.
Chairman McGee also said the budget includes $500,000 in additional funding for the prosecutor's office to enhance property crimes enforcement and expand witness advocates – as well as $1 million for broadband access.
'Today, the Jackson County Legislature finalized its 2025 budget, and I want to celebrate the collaborative effort that brought the proposal through much turmoil and over the finish line—balancing fiscal responsibility with real investments in people and public safety,' McGee said in a news release Monday. 'While there remains work to do, this budget reflects progress and restores our focus on serving the people of Jackson County.'
White said the adopted budget not only addresses urgent needs but also lays the groundwork for long-term community impact.
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'I want to thank our county associates and my team for their hard work behind the scenes,' he said. 'Their steady focus and deep commitment to serving the people of Jackson County played a vital role in making today's unanimous passage possible.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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