Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Health, State Government

Missouri groups look for the strongest abortion rights that voters would back

Update (Nov. 22, 2023): After two losses in lower state courts, the Missouri Supreme Court on Nov. 20 denied hearing Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft’s appeal, effectively ending the court battles over language for a set of initiative petitions aimed at restoring access to abortion in Missouri.  The fight over the Missouri abortion ban begins […]

Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government

A pastor, a retired glazier and a small business owner want to represent Wyandotte County’s District 6

Kansas voters won’t find any federal or statewide races on ballots this year, but more than a dozen candidates in the Wyandotte County election are in competitive primary races to represent voters on a city and county level. For 25 years, the Unified Government has served as the municipal government for Kansas City, Kansas, as […]

Posted inDIY Democracy, Elections, Local Government

What the District 2 election means for eastern Kansas City, Kansas

In Wyandotte County, half of the commissioners in the Unified Government will be up for election on Aug. 1, and three districts will not have an incumbent. This includes District 2, in which Brian McKiernan has decided not to seek reelection, leaving an open seat being contested by three candidates in the primary.

Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government

DIY Democracy: How to be a tax incentives watchdog

From the Power and Light District and midtown Costco to the planned KC Current stadium in the rapidly developing Berkley Riverfront, economic development and tax incentive decisions leave an indelible mark on Kansas City. These decisions help bring jobs, housing and sparkly new arenas, but they can also have consequences for taxing jurisdictions like Kansas […]

Posted inDIY Democracy, Local Government

DIY Democracy: How to read a government budget and why you might want to

Do you wonder whether your local government is prioritizing the things that are important to you, like policing, affordable housing, walkability or public health? Official budget documents offer a peek into what elected officials are prioritizing. The budget outlines how much money the city or county plans to spend in every department, and it’s reported […]

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