Kansas City, Missouri has a new council district map. The full city council has approved the map recommended by a citizens' redistricting commission without further revisions.
Some neighborhoods in south Kansas City were unhappy that the citizens commission's map split them up. But only councilman John Sharp proposed revisions. He would have kept Bannister Mall and the South Patrol station in the 6th District.
Mayor Sly James stood by the commission's plan. He admonished his colleagues: "It is time for us to change our attitude and start believing in the entirety of the city. Each of us took an oath to the city, not to our council district."
The council voted down the revisions, and only Sharp voted against the commission's map. On the east side of the city, District 3 will expand slightly southward and District 5 will extend south to I-435. West of Troost, District 4 moves northward, stretching from Briarcliff to 59 th Street in the Brookside area.
The city has posted the map on its website.
The council also approved bond financing and about $30.7 million in tax breaks for the Polsinelli Shughart revival of the stalled West Edge development. The law firm had planned to build with no incentives, but said it had to change that because of unexpected costs, especially those related to the hotel part of the project.