Dow ConstantineVerified account

We have also reduced the daily adult population in the jail to 1,300, and as I said in my State of the County Address a couple of months ago, we need to not just continue, but reinforce the effort to reduce the population.

With fewer people in jail, we will be able to close one of the 12 floors in the downtown jail, saving $1.9 million in a single year, and we will invest that in programs outside the criminal legal system.

My proposed budget will also invest public resources to where we can make the most difference, and co-create with the community and up lift community-led solutions.

Partnering with @KCProsecutor and @KCPublicDefense, I'm proposing $6.2 million for a program called Restorative Community Pathways. Instead of filing juvenile charges @kcprosecutor will refer up to 800 young people a year to receive comprehensive, community-based services.

When I say ‘reimagining,’ I'm talking about examining all county practices, and how they may disproportionately and unfairly impact Black, indigenous, and people of color.

Working with community leaders, we took a hard look at fare enforcement on @kcmetrobus transit, and we're going to rethink and realign the $4.7 million private security contract.

With COVID, we're suspending fares through the end of the year, but it's clear this is an opportunity to create something new, that would stop the racially- disproportionate impact of conventional fare enforcement.

We can provide new opportunities to help riders get the right fare or ORCA card to match their income, as well as access housing, behavioral health, or other needed services.