KCMO’s $2.3B Fiscal Budget Increases Pay for Police, City Employees

Posted April 1, 2024

The Kansas City Council approved the 2024-2025 fiscal budget of $2.3 billion which will see salary increases for law enforcement, city government and non-union employees.

On Thursday, city officials announced the new fiscal year budget for $2.3 billion, the largest in city history. The budget, which will take effect from May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025, adds funding improvements to public safety, infrastructure, affordable housing and investments to the city’s attractions such as $5 million towards the 2026 World Cup.

“Four years ago, City Hall was facing a budget shortfall, and we were struggling to continue providing vital city services. Today, Kansas City is in our strongest fiscal position ever and due to our strong and responsible fiscal management, we are able to continue to improve and grow our community,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said. “I am proud today to pass the 2024-2025 $2.3 billion budget, which includes funding for higher pay for Kansas City Police Department officers and 911 call operators; millions of dollars toward continuing our historic street resurfacing and sidewalk repair work across the city; a vital investment in affordable housing; small business support, and so much more.”

The budget will fully fund the Kansas City Police Department and will institute pay raises to its personnel. Police officers will see a 30 percent salary increase from $50,000 up to $65,000. The additional funding also supports 150 new recruits for the department and retention plans.

Violence intervention and prevention initiatives such as the Partners for Peace program will receive $7 million. The newly created community response and pre-arrest diversion program R.E.A.C.H. (Responding with Empathetic Alternatives and Community Help) will receive $1,266,500.

Incentives for government workers can also be found in the budget as all Kansas City government employees will have a salary increase and non-union employees’ salaries will increase by 3.5 percent.

City officials plan to continue to support the equity office and improve accessibility of city services; $900,000 will go toward funding Kansas City’s Office of Language Access, $1 million toward refugee and immigrant services and $360,000 delegated to the Reparations Committee.

The budget also allocates funds toward housing and maintaining healthy communities. Year two of four in the Housing Trust Fund from GO Bonds for affordable housing initiatives will receive $12.5 million. The city will purchase and deliver 170,000 trash carts to residents in all districts and spend $750,000 to bolster litter cleanup across the districts.

The budget also funds future development prospects for the city to drive growth and development. Preparations for the 2026 World Cup are receiving $5 million, VisitKC is gaining an increased budget of $2.3 million and the T-Mobile Center is receiving $3.3 million to aid in capital maintenance and repairs. Additionally, incentives of $900,000 will be made for small businesses and $200,000 for restaurants.

Full details of the 2024-2025 fiscal budget can be found, here.