Mayor Lucas of KCMO participated in a question and answer session at the recent Metro KC Climate Action Summit 2019. He had brought along prepared remarks, but the format of the public session did not allow for him to speak on these notes. Instead he has posted his prepared remarks on his Facebook page.
By Quinton Lucas. September 15, 2019.
I was proud to share remarks at Metro KC Climate Action Summit 2019 yesterday. I was on stage with Carmel, IN Mayor Jim Brainard. I wrote out prepared remarks for the conversation, but did not a good a chance to get to them. So share them here for you. I look forward to more work ahead to ensure policy actions we take consider how we can be more equitable and support protecting our climate.
Remarks
Thank you all for being here and directing attention to one of the most important issues of our generation, and thank you for inviting me to participate in this discussion.
You know, as I started thinking about what I’d like to talk about this afternoon with all of you, I was running a mental list of all the things we’re working to accomplish over the next four years of my term: free public transit, affordable housing, creating better outcomes for low-income Kansas Citians from all backgrounds. . . and as I was thinking about this, it became so clear to me that every issue we’re working on here relates to climate.
Providing our community with free public transportation, for example . . .
I grew up in Kansas City moving around often with my family. Public transit was integral to my childhood, and I know so many other families in our community, like mine, rely on public transit. I think that’s a basic, essential service that should be provided to our community free-of-charge and we’re actively working toward that goal.
It is frustrating at City Hall to see the time, money, and resources that are put into building parking lots and parking garages–but we lack resources for greater transit opportunities for the working poor or for safe, quality, and affordable housing opportunities in all Kansas City neighborhoods.
That is money that could be spent on offsetting the cost of free public transportation, planting more trees, awarding contracts to companies who are committed to meeting our environmental standards.
Zero fare transit helps folks get to their places of work, school, and so many more activities throughout our region. It also enhances walkability in our city and reduces reliance on the many tens of thousands of single passage car trips in our city each day. It puts less harmful gas emissions into our atmosphere. It helps us breathe easier.
Something else we’re working hard at is ensuring that all Kansas Citians feel like City Hall is improving basic city services – in every zip code with a mind toward how we can make our city safer and more equitable for all Kansas Citians. And climate plays a central role in that discussion, too.
We know that climate change disproportionally affects low-income communities, and particularly, low-income communities of color. We also know that in Kansas City, Missouri, specifically, there is a direct correlation between heat and income levels – and unfortunately, I think next year’s Census will show that trend continuing.
But here’s the good news: as we work to repave roads that haven’t been looked at in years, to provide sustainable waste solutions for neighborhoods that have been ignored for far too long, to make sure that every child in our community has clean drinking water . . . we’re not looking to provide Band-Aid solutions, because we know that won’t work.
When we go to repave roads in tree deserts, we’re going to look at how we can plant and build tree canopies to help shield folks from the sun and the heat; we’re going to make sure that more neighborhoods have access to recycling so they too can contribute to fighting climate change and keeping their neighborhood clean; and we’re going to make sure that our water infrastructure is safe, reliable and sustainable.
And as part of my affordable housing plan, we’re going to make sure that when we’re creating or refurbishing affordable housing units, we’re using sustainable, energy-saving materials.
We’re working to ensure that every family in Kansas City can afford a home where they can safely raise a family on a budget, which is why I created the City’s Special Committee on Housing Policy to craft policy solutions that will help families find safe and sanitary homes to live in – because we know that a child with stable housing does better in school, and affordable homes can attract and retain employees, making Kansas City even more appealing to businesses that want to expand or relocate to the area.
We’re working with developers and civic leaders to put incentives in place to produce homes that every Kansas Citian has a chance to call home.
The Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that Kansas City will experience nearly 95 days that exceed 100 degrees per year by year 2100. We don’t have time to wait.
I’m proud that we’ve got so many local entities – many of which are here today – that have taken hold of climate issues and have propelled them into mainstream thinking and conversation. They’re forcing elected officials to acknowledge that every issue, in some way, is a climate issue. And it is. Please know that my administration will stand beside you as we continue this fight.
Again, thank you all so much for all that you do. As I wrap up here, I’ll leave you with this one piece of homework: please stay engaged with local government, attend City Council meetings – whether that be on the Kansas or the Missouri side of state line. And let me know how you think we’re doing or what’s keeping you up at night.
Thank you again for having me here today.
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