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Kansas City Today

Is Kansas City, Kansas, actually going bankrupt?

By Nomin Ujiyediin,
Trevor Grandin
Published December 8, 2023 at 4:00 AM CST
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Unified Government Mayor Tyrone Garner says that Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, are on a "pathway to complete financial ruin." But the idea of dissolving the Unified Government may not fix the underlying problems, and could make its finances worse.

After consolidating 25 years ago, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, could be reevaluating their relationship. During a press conference in October, Mayor Tyrone Garner warned of major financial trouble facing the government and floated the idea of bankruptcy.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with the Kansas City Beacon's Josh Merchant about why the Unified Government's woes are more complicated, and how dissolution could make them worse.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Tags
Kansas City Today politicsGovernmentKansas governmentUnified Government of Wyandotte County/KCKWyandotte CountyTyrone Garnerbankruptcy
Nomin Ujiyediin
As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
See stories by Nomin Ujiyediin
Trevor Grandin
Trevor Grandin is a contributing producer for KCUR Studios.
See stories by Trevor Grandin
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