KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr., in an interview Wednesday with KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson, laid out his reasons why voters should vote no on Sept. 30 to reject recall efforts.
Voters have already elected White as a 1st District At-Large member of the Jackson County Legislature in 2014.
White was appointed to the county executive job in January 2016.
The voters re-elected him twice.
Now, it's up to Jackson County voters whether he finishes out his term as White faces a recall election Sept. 30.
White made an unexpected appearance at a town hall this month about the election.
He answered questions from the community and a panel that included some of his peers.
White faces a recall election after his opponents collected more than 43,000 certified signatures.
The county executive met with KSHB 41 In-Depth Reporter Alyssa Jackson for one of his final interviews before voters make their decision.
You can watch the full interview in the video player below.
Executive decisions
White defends the decisions he made in office, including how property assessments were done and his absence from legislative meetings.
During the 2023 property assessment process, there were at least 54,000 appeals, breaking a county record.
KSHB 41 reporters have met many homeowners and business owners who feel their assessments were unethical and higher taxes could force them out of their properties.
White won't accept all the blame, pointing out that the county legislature approves the assessment process.
"I don't have the ability to set values, and I don't think there's anything the state will allow me to do that would be different," he said. "It's unrealistic for people to think we’re gonna get them all right."
White rarely attends county legislature meetings. He believes showing up for the meetings isn't required.
He said: "I’ve never not been at work — contrary to what one or two legislators say. When you look at the meetings, it’s only one legislator: 'Where’s the county executive?"
Deferred County Maintenance
White's staff invited KSHB 41 reporter Jackson to tour the downtown courthouse and county assessor building at 1300 Washington Street in Kansas City.
While he's been called out by some voters and legislators for being absent during regular meetings, the executive said he's been pushing for a multi-million dollar renovation of the courthouse, but can't get enough support.
He shared bid documents and renderings from a 'downtown courthouse master plan' dating back to 2022.
The cost of the project is estimated at $340 million. The money would pay for deferred maintenance, including ADA accessibility, structural issues, improvements to the county building entrance for inmates and employees, and a new jury room.
The courthouse would only be used for judicial purposes, and all other administrative staff would move to the downtown assessor building, which has more room and parking.
The assessor's building, according to the county's public works director, also needs cosmetic improvements that would cost $24 million.
White said funding is available. However, these plans have not been approved and the work would take years to complete.
"I was hoping I would be here when this building got done," he said. "I won’t be here when this gets done. I don’t want to be away from here, and two years from now, the county has to go out for a public safety sales tax to fix some of the infrastructure when we have an opportunity now to get ahead of it and help ourselves."
A health diagnosis
In August, White revealed he was diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2023.
In the same public announcement, White said that after treatment, he is cancer-free.
White received mixed reactions to the news. A voter who showed up at the town hall questioned who was doing his job while he was away.
The executive responded, "I was only out six days".
KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson asked White about his health now and why he wasn't quick to let the public know about his diagnosis.
He said that's personal.
"When you have serious health conditions that didn’t keep you from doing your job, I don’t think you need to make that public," White said. "I’m not looking for sympathy. I was hoping I’d get into 2026, make the announcement, but because of the recall, I thought this is a good time to talk about it."
Beyond the recall
White, a member of the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame, has been in the public eye for decades.
KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson told him there are some voters who don't think he's the same county executive they put in office a decade ago.
"I spent [18] years in baseball, building my reputation in this city," he said. "My name has always been associated with professionalism, character, integrity. At the end of the day, it’s still gon' be there…that’s me."
The executive said some people couldn't accept an athlete transitioning to politics.
"They’ll say, 'He’s just a baseball player. He doesn’t know nothing about politics.'"
White said he does know common sense.
"I just wanna be me…the guy who’s gonna do the right thing."
In August, White was indifferent about whether he would seek re-election.
He stated in a letter to legislators that he did not plan to run again, but could reconsider.
White still believes he has a strong base of supporters.
If voters don't remove him next week, he is more firm on his decision to end his run as county executive when his term expires in 2027.
"Well, age for one...I’m 75 and at the end of my term I’ll be 76," he said. "I’ve worked since I was 16 years old. I need time. My wife needs time, got 13 grand kids that need time. I’ve given 11 years to public service on the political side. On the baseball side, 8 years there. I just feel like it’s time."
Jackson asked White, "Would you be content with where you're leaving your legacy here in Jackson County?"
He replied, "Wow...I think my legacy is yet to be written. I think if we can get these projects finished...the detention center, if we can get the health department building, this building done, improvements in the courthouse done, I would be satisfied with that. I know it would leave the county in 100% better hands than when I got it."
—
