County Executive Vetoes Statue Ordinance

     Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. issued a veto on July 22nd of Ordinance 5374, which proposes a question to voters on the November general election ballot authorizing the removal of Andrew Jackson statues located at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City and the Historic Truman Courthouse in Independence.
     Last week, the County Legislature voted 7-2 in favor of the Ordinance.
     “I am hopeful that the passage of time has provided an opportunity for members of our Legislature to reflect on their vote and act differently,” Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. said.
“However, I am vetoing this Ordinance, not just in the hopes that Legislators will reconsider their position, but also to allow them the individual opportunity to take a clear position and directly tell the residents of our community if they believe the statues should be taken down or not. Additionally, I would like to commend the courageous actions of Legislators Jalen Anderson and Ron Finley, the two dissenting votes of the Ordinance, who have passionately voiced their commitment to fairness, justice and equality in Jackson County.”
     White called for the removal of the two statues on June 25th, following a surge of similar calls across the country to remove statues of figures that proponents of such measures believe to be hurtful images of the nation’s legacy of racism and oppression.