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KCMO leaders still undecided on renaming The Paseo for MLK

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A heated debate broke out at City Hall in Kansas City, Missouri as leaders discussed ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is a new name on the table for The Paseo: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on The Paseo.

It's the latest development in this ongoing discussion on how to honor the late Dr. King.          

The current ordinance also bypasses the normal requirements regarding residents approval, which some city leaders have trouble with.

"I think that Dr. King deserves a street that is fully named after him and not just some sort of comprise that is watered down," Councilmember Jermaine Reed said.

"Out of those 11 letters, 10 are opposed to this, one is in favor. When you have that much opposition to simply push it through an ordinance without consulting with the people who are going to be effected pursuant to the ordinance that we have I think is a mistake, it's not very transparent," Kansas City Missouri Mayor Sly James said.

"I think that in the next few weeks we listen. We listen to where it's coming from in the community we make sure that as we think about The Paseo we're talking to people who live on The Paseo and near it we're hearing from those in the religious community so I think we have more work to do with it but I look forward to all of that," Councilmember Quinton Lucas said. 

The conversation will pick back up at City Hall in two weeks.