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Copter, Police Stations Trump Squad Cars

Outgoing Police Commission member Karl Zobrist
photo from Sonnenschein.com
Outgoing Police Commission member Karl Zobrist

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-898622.mp3

Kansas City, Mo. – The Kansas City Police Department would spend more money on new buildings and hardware and less on new cars under a plan readjusted by Chief Jim Corwin.

If the quarter -cent sales tax benefiting police is renewed next year it would be long on capital jobs and shorter on areas including car replacement . Karl Zobrist is leaving the Board of Police Commissioners after ten years watching budgets and believes he knows what works best. The tax was designed for construction and "big time projects, like the helicopter, like the radio system," Zobrist said. "I don't want to see that eaten away with an automobile budget or with a human resources budget to pay officers."

Zobrist says voters expect to know how tax money would be spent. A package close to $206 million spread over 10 to 15 years. Expect the issue on the August or November ballot.

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