The possibility of dissolving the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is now on the table, but it's not clear whether that would be an effective strategy.
In October, the mayors of Bonner Springs, Edwardsville and Kansas City, Kansas floated the idea of splitting up the Unified Government, and announced they wanted to hear from residents about how to best address debt and service issues in the county, among other issues.
Edwardsville Mayor Carolyn Caiharr ran listening sessions on the issue last month. She said some residents support the idea of dissolving the Unified Government entirely.
"If it (deconsolidation) was an easy solution, I think a lot of people would be all for it, just because of how disenfranchised folks are right now in Wyandotte County," Caiharr told KCUR's Up To Date. "But there is the reality also of what it would take."
Other solutions, such as amending the Unified Government's charter, are also being considered. But some residents don't believe that any of those options would work.
"I share a lot of the same concerns, but I'd like to see real solutions put forward," said Marcus Winn, a Kansas City, Kansas, resident and member of the city's Law Enforcement Advisory Board.
- Carolyn Caiharr, mayor of Edwardsville, Kansas
- Marcus Winn, Kansas City, Kansas resident and member of the Law Enforcement Advisory Board
