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Council Moves for Redistricting "Plan B"

Councilman John Sharp holds one proposed redistricting map that he says would disenfranchise African-American voters.
Photo courtesy of KCCG, Channel 2.
Councilman John Sharp holds one proposed redistricting map that he says would disenfranchise African-American voters.

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-920661.mp3

Kansas City, MO – Mayor Mark Funkhouser came out on the losing side of two significant council votes yesterday.

The first defeat for the mayor was the override of his veto of the council's renewing the appointment of the chairman of the Port Authority, which the mayor has said needs more of an "international flavor."

Then the mayor voted with the four Northland council members on a move to send a charter amendment to voters that could delay redrawing council district boundaries if the council deadlocks on the issue.

Councilman John Sharp pressed for the charter change. He says, "Every jurisdiction everywhere in the country redistricts after the census data is published."

Sharp's side prevailed. The council will ask a judge for permission to put the charter revision on the November ballot, for which the deadline has passed.

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