FROM THE KC CHAMBER’S PRESIDENT AND CEO
Kansas City, Missouri, voters will head to the polls tomorrow, April 7, to decide whether to renew the city’s 1% earnings tax (E-Tax), a key source of funding for essential city services.
To provide a first responder’s perspective, we invited Tom Whittaker of the Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners (BOPC) to share why renewing the E-Tax matters for those who answer the call when our community needs help. The BOPC oversees the Kansas City Police Department and works to ensure first responders have the resources needed to keep residents, businesses, and visitors safe.
Guest Column: Why the E-Tax Matters to First Responders
By Tom Whittaker, Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners
Tomorrow, Kansas City, Missouri, voters will decide whether to renew the city’s 1% earnings tax, which provides about 47% of Kansas City’s general fund revenue and supports many of the services residents rely on every day.
For first responders, that funding is critical.
When someone calls 911, they expect a fast, professional response. They expect trained police officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel to arrive quickly and be equipped to handle whatever situation they face. Delivering on those expectations requires reliable resources and sustained investment.
The earnings tax helps support the broader system that makes emergency response possible—from staffing and training to the infrastructure and services that allow our city to function effectively.
If the earnings tax is not renewed, Kansas City would face the loss of a significant portion of its operating revenue over time. That could lead to difficult decisions about service levels and the resources available to support emergency response and other essential services.
For those who serve the public every day, maintaining the resources necessary to meet community expectations is essential.
If you live in Kansas City, Missouri, I encourage you to make your voice heard tomorrow.
Please take a few minutes to vote, encourage your colleagues and employees to vote, and help ensure our community continues to support the services that keep Kansas City safe and moving forward.
To learn more about the measure, visit together-kc.com.
2026 TOP 10 SMALL BUSINESSES ANNOUNCED
The KC Chamber is proud to announce the 2026 Top 10 Small Businesses, representing the very best of our region’s innovation, resilience, and community impact: Blue Symphony; Café Corazon; EAG Advertising & Marketing; encompas; Kansas City Catering; MADE MOBB; Pantheon Moving; RK Contractors; She Hauled It; and SLATTERY Design + Architecture. These businesses now advance as finalists for the prestigious “Mr. K” Small Business of the Year award.
You can hear directly from these dynamic leaders during the Virtual Top 10 CEO Panel on Friday, May 5, from 9:15–10:15 a.m. This engaging conversation will offer insights into their growth, challenges, and what it takes to succeed in today’s business environment. Learn more and register today!
Then, join us in person for the Small Business Celebration Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, May 27, from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Loews Kansas City Hotel (1515 Wyandotte St., KCMO), where we’ll reveal the “Mr. K” Small Business of the Year and honor excellence across several award categories. Learn more and register today!
Register for both events and help us celebrate the small businesses that power Kansas City forward.
KANSAS CITY EARNS WELCOMING STATUS
Kansas City, Missouri, has earned nationally recognized Welcoming status, marking a major milestone in the region’s ongoing work to create a more inclusive, connected community.
The effort began in 2019 with the launch of the Welcoming KC initiative, convened in part by the KC Chamber alongside civic, nonprofit, and business partners. Grounded in community input and shaped by lessons from peer cities, including insights gained during the Chamber’s Leadership Exchange trip to Salt Lake City, the work led to the development of the Welcoming KC Plan, a roadmap to align systems and opportunities so all residents can fully participate in the region’s success.
The KC Chamber has played a key role throughout, bringing partners together, engaging the business community, and advancing welcoming and belonging as essential to economic growth and talent attraction. This achievement also reflects the leadership of many across the community. Earning Welcoming status is an important step, but the work continues as Kansas City builds on this momentum to ensure all who call this region home have the opportunity to belong and succeed.
NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKING AT SUNLIGHTEN
Start your morning building meaningful connections at our next Neighborhood Networking event, hosted by Sunlighten on Friday, April 10, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at 10975 El Monte St. in Leawood. This relaxed, come-and-go style event offers time to network with business and community leaders, hear brief remarks, and even take part in optional tours of Sunlighten, a company dedicated to advancing wellness through innovative products and a global community approach.
Neighborhood Networking is a great way to expand your network while experiencing firsthand the organizations that help shape our regional economy. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., with structured networking, remarks, and continued connections throughout the morning. Learn more and register!
RECONNECTING THE EAST SIDE: PART II
Community leaders and stakeholders are invited to continue the conversation around the Reconnecting the East Side initiative during the upcoming Part II event on Wednesday, April 15, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., in the KC Chamber Board Room (30 W. Pershing Rd., KCMO). The project is exploring ways to address long-standing challenges created by the construction of US-71, which divided neighborhoods and limited safe crossings for residents, pedestrians, and cyclists. The effort focuses on identifying solutions that improve safety, strengthen neighborhood connections, and support long-term community investment along the corridor.
This second presentation will provide additional insight into the project’s goals and progress while allowing participants to learn more about the planning process and how community input is helping shape potential solutions. The initiative is part of a broader effort led by Kansas City in partnership with regional and federal agencies to build a safer, more accessible, and more connected East Side. Learn more and register now!