Twelve people want to be the next mayor of Kansas City. All of them are qualified, experienced, and accomplished people, but only two of them will move on after the Feb. 27 primary election. Turnout is expected to be low (around 10 percent of the electorate) and with the large field of candidates, the margin of victory could be very slim for the top two spots.
Of the twelve, six are current or former City Council members, four are business owners, five are current or former city/county government workers, and four have backgrounds in law. Some are more prominent and have more name recognition than others, and some have more money to spend.
These are the people who want to be your mayor (included are links to the candidates' official websites):
Alvin Brooks is the mayor pro tem and a 6th District City Council member. Brooks began his career as a Kansas City police officer, and helped organize the first Kansas City Human Relations Department. He was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee and founded the Ad-Hoc Advisory Committee, which later became Move UP. He was elected to City Council in 1999 and re-elected in 2003. While on the council, he chaired the council's Public Safety Committee. http://brooks4kc.com
John DiCapo owns a restaurant downtown. He is the son of Carl DiCapo, who owned Italian Gardens. DiCapo is upset about how small businesses are treated at City Hall. He got into the race after food vendors were allowed to sell food outside his 12th and Oak Street Chili Shack restaurant. He says small business investment will be the top priority of his administration. As of now, he is the only candidate not to post his campaign contributions, and is seen as a major underdog. http://dicapoformayor.com
Chuck Eddy is a 6th District City Council member, first elected in 1999 and reelected in 2003. Eddy's career began in the medical profession and he has had his own chiropractor practice since 1983. He was a reserve police officer from 1970-1994 and retired as Reserve Captain. He serves on the Board of Trustees at Cleveland Chiropractic and Baptist Medical Center. Top priorities of his administration would include repairing infrastructure and making city government efficient and accessible. http://electchuckeddy.org
Janice Ellis is an entrepreneur turned public servant. She spent ten years managing Ellis Management Marketing Group, Inc. She also managed marketing for Marion Laboratories before working for the mayor of Milwaukee for eight years. Ellis then worked for numerous Kansas City governmental positions before becoming President and CEO of Partnership for Children from 2000-06. Ellis' top priorities include children/education, fiscal responsibility, and regionalization. http://jeforkc.com
John Fairfield is campaigning as the candidate with the Northland in mind. Fairfield has practiced law since 1982. He was a prosecuting attorney for Platte Woods and Northmoor from 1983-93. In 1995 he became a Municipal Court judge of Platte Woods, and accepted the positions of president of the Clay-Platte Municipal Associate Circuit Judges Association and president of the Platte County Bar Association. Fairfield also served on the Northland Chamber of Commerce. He was elected to City Council in 2003 and serves as vice-chair of the council's Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee. www.fairfieldformayor.com
Mark Funkhouser has been Kansas City's auditor for eighteen years. He began his career as a social worker after receiving his Master's degree in social work. Funkhouser also has a Master's in business administration and a Ph.D. in public administration. He has been named "Public Official of the Year" by Governing magazine. His platform is focused on fiscal responsibility for the city budget, and improving infrastructure and public services. Funkhouser resigned from the auditor position in October to pursue his mayoral campaign. http://markfunkhouser.com
Stanford Glazer has been a local businessman for over fifty years. Best known for his comedy club, Stanford and Sons, which closed in 2003, Glazer has pioneered many successful businesses. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952-1960, serving active duty in the Korean War from 1952-1954. Glazer feels that city government needs to live within its budget, and does not want any new taxes on people, property, or businesses. Glazer has proposed a 50-story Ferris wheel on the now unused Berkley Riverfront Park. The plan has come under scrutiny, but Glazer says it would add to our skyline and draw visitors to the area. www.stanglazer.com
Jim Glover has been a City Council member since 1991. Originally representing the 2nd District, he was elected 4th District representative in 2003. His career started in 1974 with the Mid-America Regional Council. He worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington D.C., starting in 1975. He worked on the Missouri Housing Development Committee from 1982-1987. Glover's campaign focuses on spreading job opportunities throughout the city, rather than centralizing them in certain areas (downtown, Northland, etc.). His efforts are credited for bringing Costco and Home Depot to Midtown. www.electglover.com
Henry Klein is a successful businessman who was recruited out of college to work for R.R. Donnelly, a Fortune 500 company. He started the Kansas City branch of the company and has earned the branch over 200 million dollars. Klien's top campaign issues include finding a way to make public schools and city government work together to improve the education system. He wants to add more police officers to the current staff and revitalize the Mayor's Office for People With Disabilities. He also proposes to make Kansas City an all-Wi-Fi city, which would mean wireless internet would be free within city limits. www.kleinforkansascity.com
Becky Nace has served two terms in City Council's 5th District, starting in 1999. Before that, she was the Vice President of the Raytown Board of Education. She is the current leader in campaign funds, leading the next candidate by over $100,000. Her platform emphasizes the infrastructure needs of Kansas City, getting tough on crime, and education. http://beckynace.com
Albert Riederer has worked in local government since 1978. He started his law career working for the Legal Aid and Defenders' Society. In 1978, he was elected 1st District City Council, and in 1980, he was elected Jackson County Prosecutor. In his time as prosecutor, he championed what is now known as the C.O.M.B.A.T. tax. In 1993, he was appointed Chairman of Missouri Employers Mutual. He has worked as an attorney for the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners, and in 1997 was appointed to the western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals. http://albertforkc.com
Katheryn Shields is a three-time Jackson County Executive who has served local government for 26 years. In 1978, she was an assistant prosecuting attorney for Jackson County. She had a private practice for three years, starting in 1980, and later worked as Jackson County Counselor. She was elected as the 4th District City Council member in 1987 and re-elected in 1991. In 1994, she was elected Jackson County Executive and held that job longer than anyone else ever has. Shields was served with an indictment over a mortgage fraud case on the day that she made her announcement for a mayoral bid. www.shieldsforthecity.com
Copyright 2007 Metropolitan Community College