Kansas City Regional Jail Is a Terrific Idea

State and Local Government | February 18, 2009

By David Stokes | Read Time 1 minute

I have written about this before, and I look forward to a regional jail shared by the cities and Jackson County becoming reality. The Star has the update.

This is an excellent example of the type of regional cooperation that will save taxpayers money. The only thing I can add to this discussion is the perspective of history, and to remind people still undecided on this in the western part of the state that St. Louis County did this in the 1990s. The St. Louis county jail, which is used by all of the municipalities, has worked out great for everyone. I am sure it will work for KC, too, especially if they build it art deco–style right by city hall and the courthouse.

About the Author

David Stokes

David Stokes is a St. Louis native and a graduate of Saint Louis University High School and Fairfield (Conn.) University. He spent six years as a political aide at the St. Louis County Council before joining the Show-Me Institute in 2007. Stokes was a policy analyst at the Show-Me Institute from 2007 to 2016. From 2016 through 2020 he was Executive Director of Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, where he led efforts to oppose harmful floodplain developments done with abusive tax subsidies. Stokes rejoined the Institute in early 2021 as the Director of Municipal Policy. He is a past president of the University City Library Board. He served on the St. Louis County 2010 Council Redistricting Commission and was the 2012 representative to the Electoral College from Missouri’s First Congressional District. He lives in University City with his wife and their three children.

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