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Missouri voters force Kansas City to raise police spending

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.

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