Jackson County prosecutor: budget impasse is curtailing violence-prevention programs, court work

The Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney (name not provided in the transcript) told the Jackson County Legislature on May 14, 2025, that the county’s ongoing budget impasse is forcing the office to reduce preventive programming, limit court transcripts and expert retention, defer trainings and merit increases, and delay certain contracts — steps the prosecutor said are already affecting victims, witnesses and case outcomes.

The prosecutor described preventive efforts run or supported by the COMBAT fund that cannot proceed without a budget resolution, saying the office had planned “to identify 20 of the most prolific juvenile offenders and create a summer internship program” with cognitive behavioral therapy and mentorship but “we are not able to do that because we are well into May and still do not have a resolution.”

The prosecutor told legislators that case preparation is being affected because the office is ordering fewer deposition transcripts and cannot retain certain experts. “If we do not order those transcripts … we can’t use them at trial,” the prosecutor said, and warned that a reduced ability to hire or consult experts also influences charging and trial strategy.

Why it matters: legislators and county staff asked how cutbacks could alter criminal prosecutions and broader community safety work. The prosecutor said the county’s community-violence intervention ecosystem — including organizations she named such as KC Uncornered and Aim for Peace — depends on timely funds; she also highlighted the local Save KC initiative and said messaging and outreach contractors have worked without pay. The prosecutor added that, by one measure, “nonfatal shootings amongst group oriented individuals … are down 56 percent” when domestic-violence incidents are excluded, while homicides “are only up 4 percent.”

Legislators pressed the prosecutor on specific operational impacts. The prosecutor said investigators’ vehicles have been left unrepaired because a servicing contract cannot be executed without an appropriation or an emergency authorization. She also raised concerns about the county detention center, saying the jail is “over full” and that she “have learned … they may not be able to feed their inmates.” When asked about capacity, the prosecutor said she believed the jail had “about 860 and some change.”

Several legislators and county officials discussed possible paths forward. Legislator Anderson described two proposals discussed previously for COMBAT: a grants-management software purchase estimated at $100,000 and a $75,000 community-organizer position. The prosecutor said a grants-management system would allow automated payment processing and better reporting and that her office has already demonstrated scenarios to realign COMBAT awards to 2024 funding levels if the legislature chooses that path.

County Counselor Whitney Miller explained the legal framework for emergency purchases and operations and maintenance spending, saying emergency authorizations should be limited to “something essential” and that operations and maintenance questions are handled case by case. The prosecutor and county counsel offered to meet to review specific contracts and clarify which items could proceed under operations-and-maintenance authority or by emergency authorization; the prosecutor said she preferred a budget resolution rather than a series of emergency contracts given the volume of COMBAT contracts.

On staff retention and pay, the prosecutor said inability to deliver merit increases is causing internal strain and complicates hiring and retention of assistant prosecutors who handle serious crimes. She described declining to prosecute more than 200 cases over three years due to lack of witness cooperation: “Over 3 years, we have had to decline to prosecute over 200 cases due to the lack of witness cooperation.”

Budget chair Charlie Franklin told the legislature that negotiations with the administration had been “productive” and that he did not expect new materials the same day but aimed to bring something forward by Friday. No formal appropriation or emergency authorization was adopted during the session on the prosecutor’s requests.

The prosecutor closed by urging the legislature to resolve appropriations so COMBAT contracts and court operations can proceed, and she invited further meetings with legal and operations staff to determine which items could move forward immediately.

Ending: County leaders said staff would provide additional documentation and that budget discussions were ongoing; no legislative votes were taken to authorize the prosecutor’s requested contracts or payments during the meeting.