Elizabeth Orosco
Northeast News

There is still much debate among Kansas City Council members regarding the possible name change of Paseo Boulevard, one of Kansas City’s oldest streets.

Thursday’s session included an amendment which would possibly change the name to Martin Luther King Jr. on the Paseo. Since the issue has stirred such mixed-reviews, council members made a proposal to include both King and Paseo in the name.
“It speaks to a compromise of retaining the Paseo Boulevard name, but also of having Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. designated as well,” said Quinton Lucas, councilman of the 3rd District At-Large.

Councilman Jermaine Reed of the 3rd District was strongly opposed to this idea, expressing his concern regarding this item was twofold: the issue of compromise and community engagement.

He said he believes there should not be a “compromise” when it comes to naming a street after the civil rights activist.
“I think that Dr. King deserves a street that is fully named after him and not just some sort of compromise that is watered down and doesn’t give him a full naming on an actual street in the city,” he said.

Reed added there is an issue of community engagement that further solidifies his no vote, and urged council members to ensure residents of the city are engaged in the process. He said he was concerned the residents of Paseo Boulevard, those whom this name change would directly affect, had not had a proper voice in this decision.

“In this ordinance,” Reed clarified, “we would be waiving the 75-percent approval in order to get a street named after an individual. This name change would not have had any approval from the individuals who live along the Paseo. I don’t think that we as government should be heavy-handed in terms of putting something in front of folks who haven’t had a full say about the matter.”

Mayor Sly James agreed with this concern, advising more time be allowed for residents to express their voice.
“I am curious to see what happens when there is actual outreach to the people who live on the street as per the ordinance,” said James, “and at this point in time, to my knowledge, that has not occurred. Until it does, and there is some information about how the people who actually live there feel, and the ordinance has at least tried to be complied with, I am going to be opposed.”
Originally, the name for the boulevard was given by Kansas City’s first President of the Parks Board, August R. Meyer, who named the street after Paseo De La Reforma, an avenue that runs through the heart of Mexico City.

Reed likened this issue to his days as a child, flipping pages of the holiday Sears catalog, hoping and wishing for Christmas presents.

“People in the Third and Fifth District can’t continue to hope, wait and wish that something would happen,” he said. “There certainly has been a lot of progress that has been made in our communities, but this item that we have before us only provides, in my opinion, false hope, and that’s something we shouldn’t give to the citizens of this city, and for that reason, I will vote ‘no.’”
James then gave heed to council members to be aware of what the outcome would be if the requirements for this name change were dismissed. James told members that of the last eleven letters he received from residents regarding this issue, only one was in favor.

“When you have that much opposition, to simply push it through in an ordinance, without consulting the people that are going to be affected… I think that’s not very transparent. I am concerned about setting a precedent where if we do what is being asked in this ordinance, that anybody can come in here with anybody that they think is an American hero… and what do we do then? Do we waive the requirements? Do we waive the signatures? It is important that we pay attention to the precedent that we’ve set, because it opens the doors to unintended consequences down the line.”

The item is being held for two weeks to allow further discussion among council members and local residents.