Frank White Jr.'s recall could cost millions and stall county services
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Jackson County's recall vote on Frank White Jr. could cost taxpayers about $2 million and stall spending on federal relief funds and property tax disputes.
Why it matters: Voters will decide Sept. 30 whether to cut short White's tenure as county executive, a historic first for the county executive's office.
- More than 43,000 certified signatures, in a county of about 723,000 people, forced the recall onto the ballot.
The big picture: White, a Royals Hall of Famer who's led the county since 2016, has faced growing criticism for how he's allegedly used his office.
- Lawmakers say White skipped nearly every legislative meeting this year. A KCTV5 investigation found he attended one of 34 — a claim he denies.
Zoom in: The tension spilled into public view on Monday, when Kansas City PBS and the Public Library hosted "A Frank Decision" to unpack both sides.
During the town hall, White called the recall a "power grab" tied to April's failed stadium tax vote.
- "Prior to the stadium vote, the recall was going nowhere," he said. "After the stadium vote, $400,000 went into the recall."
- He's pledged not to run again even if he survives it.
Friction point: The Plaza forum quickly got heated, with Urban League CEO Gwen Grant unleashing one of the night's sharpest critiques of White.
- "This is about poor, failed leadership," Grant said. "We are still sitting on $70.2 million in ARPA funds."
- Legislator Sean Smith said White locked legislators out of offices: "It's just apparent from the inside and from the outside that the desire to collaborate and fix things isn't there."
Yes, but: Legislator Megan Smith, the only member who opposed sending the recall to voters, warned that ousting White could destabilize county government.
- "At the end of the day, the ones who end up paying the largest cost are our taxpayers and our communities," she said.
What we're watching: If voters recall White, the legislature chair appoints a temporary county executive. Lawmakers then have 30 days to choose a Democrat to serve the rest of the term. If they disagree, the presiding judge makes the appointment.