On February 6, Mayor Quinton Lucas and City Manager Brian Platt presented the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget to the City Council for review and approval. This budget shifts Kansas City's traditional budget process to priority-based budgeting. This year’s budget accelerates progress in development, small business expansion, active and vibrant neighborhoods, and housing security. Residents are invited to share feedback at three community meetings or via the online portal.

"I am proud that we are in Kansas City's strongest ever financial position, which allows us to resurface more streets, build more housing, improve our parks, and to deliver the basic services and world-class amenities Kansas Citians can expect from their well-run local government,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas.

“We continue to elevate the quality of basic services and add new programs and initiatives based on the needs of our residents, while also maintaining our strongest fiscal position ever. We are so proud of and grateful for our finance and budget team that has found creative ways to fund all our programs and for all of us to be successful,” said City Manager Brian Platt.

Highlights of the Proposed 2025-26 Budget Include:

Housing and Healthy Communities

This goal totals $314.5 million, representing an increase of $13.2 million

• Adds $1.4 million for illegal dumping enforcement
• Adds $1.0 million for emergency rental assistance and $1.0 million to expand emergency shelter beyond extreme weather
• Adds $1.8 million for ZeroKC to include five new positions to support efforts for the City’s initiative to end homelessness, with $750,000 of dedicated funding for homeless encampment clean up
• Adds $2.0 million for World Cup Legacy Projects
• Includes $12.5 million for year three of four, for a total investment of $50.0 million to the Housing Trust Fund

Public Safety

Represents largest expense in Governmental Activities budget, totaling $688.3 million

• Public Safety accounts for 72.7% of General Fund and 41.6% of Governmental Activities Budget, and increases $71.9 million
• Prioritizes increase in wages and benefits to ensure KCPD can recruit and retain quality public safety officers, and ensures competitive compensation for fire and emergency services personnel
• Adds $1.0 million to support security needs in entertainment districts
• Supports efficient court operations despite decline in citation volumes

Infrastructure & Accessibility

This goal totals $341.4 million, representing an increase of $17.5 million

• Adds $3.0 million for Vision Zero, creating a safer Kansas City for all
• Adds $2.6 million for operation and maintenance of the Streetcar-Main Street extension
• Adds $4.0 million for LED streetlight conversion
• Supports regional transportation with $69.9 million for KCATA, including $40.6 million from dedicated sales tax for transit operations
• Continued support for enhanced snow removal operations, and sidewalk improvements

Inclusive Growth & Development

This goal totals $161.4 million, representing a decrease of $4.0 million

• Adds $500,000 for a contract management division and additional advocacy services
• Adds $2.5 million for maintenance and event support for City convention facilities
• Adds $2.4 million for VisitKC tourism efforts
• Reorganized City Planning and Development to promote efficiency while continuing development activities at a productive pace

Finance & Governance

This goal totals $149.0 million, representing an increase of $26.2 million

• Adds $10.2 million for year one of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software implementation (estimated $20.0 million total)
• Adds $10.8 million of new facility improvement and City Hall repairs
• Adds $1.1 million for replacement of fleet and EV charging stations
• Adds 16 positions at $1.4 million for the Investigations Division in Human Resources
• Adds $413,000 for new software for case management and legal research

Budget Timeline

• Feb 6: Budget delivered to City Council
• Feb 15: Public Budget Hearing, 9 am - Noon at Gregg/Klice Community Center (Language Access Available)
• Feb 24: Public Budget Hearing, 6 pm – 8:30 pm at Woodneath Library Center
• Feb 27: Budget Ordinance introduced during Legislative Session
• Mar 1: Public Budget Hearing, 9 am - Noon at Goppert Performing Arts Center (Language Access Available)
• Mar 5: City Council Budget Amendments Submitted
• Mar 20: 2025-2026 Budget Adoption
• May 1: Beginning of 2025-26 Fiscal Year

Explore the full budget or provide feedback online by visiting KCMO.gov/budget.