User:JermaineReed/sandbox

Jermaine Reed (born June 13, 1984), is the 3rd District Councilman of Kansas City. In May 2011, at the age of 26, Reed became the youngest member of the City Council and second-youngest ever elected to the City Council of Kansas City, Missouri.

Early Life, Education, and Career
Reed was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. Raised along with his four brothers by his single mother, his family was able to overcome homelessness. Reed made his way through the Kansas City public school system at the height of busing and desegregation. He graduated from Northeast High School in 2002 and was named by the Pitch Magazine as "Best Activist".

While in high school, Reed became active with the AdHoc Group Against Crime. There, he met Alvin Brooks, now a Kansas City, Missouri Police Commissioner, who became a role model and friend. Brooks allowed Reed to join him on his weekly talk show "Voices From Midtown" on Gospel 1590 AM KPRT. Reed commented on issues like drugs, violence, education and politics. Every Saturday for four years while in high school, Reed co-hosted the radio show "Generation Rap" on HOT 103 JAMZ KPRS 103.3 FM, which remains on the air today.

Reed traveled the country speaking to groups as part of the inaugural TRUTH Anti-Tobacco Campaign. Reed also appeared on The Rosie O’Donnell Show as the national spokesperson for National Youth Service Day.

He received a Bachelor's degree in General Studies from the University of Missouri in 2006. Reed is a first generation graduate.

After graduating, Reed headed to Washington, D.C., where he found work with the Resource Development Office at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. He had previously completed the Congressional Black Caucus Institute's "Political Education and Leadership Boot Camp" during college. He then went on to work for the D.C. government as a Financial Program Manager. In 2009, Reed returned to Kansas City to serve as Community Ombudsman for Congressman Emanuel Cleaver’s Green Impact Zone of Missouri, which focused federal stimulus funds towards the revitalization of Kansas City’s urban core.

2011 Campaign and Election
In 2010, despite having held no previous publicly elected office, Reed announced his candidacy for 3rd District Councilman of Kansas City in the city's 2011 non-partisan election. Reed submitted his petitions to be placed on the ballot on November 16, 2010. Reed joined incumbent Sharon Sanders Brooks and Michael Fletcher as a 3rd District City Council candidate.

The council race was surrounded in controversy as Sanders-Brooks accused Fletcher of violating the two-year residency requirement. Sanders-Brooks claimed Fletcher filed court papers from a California address, which meant that he had moved and was therefore ineligible to remain on the February 22 ballot.

Although Fletcher admitted splitting time in California, he still claimed residence on East 12th Street in Kansas City. However, he was ultimately denied City Council candidacy based on his residence in the state of California. Fletcher appealed the ruling of the Jackson County judge, but a U.S. Court of Appeals judge agreed with the lower court's decision that ruled him ineligible. The court's decision left only Reed and Sanders-Brooks as legitimate candidates.

On March 22, the municipal general election was held. Reed captured 65% of the vote and beat incumbent Sanders-Brooks by a 2 to 1 margin.

Accomplishments
Reed represents over 78,000 residents in Kansas City, Missouri’s 3rd District. Reed has championed and overseen $86 million dollars in economic development projects, $4 million in Public Improvement Projects and nearly $270,000 dollars in funding to bring tourists to 3rd District museums and community events. Focused on putting people back to work, Reed sponsored legislation offering bid incentives for businesses who hire skilled, unemployed workers who are job ready.

Reed also hosts a bi-weekly radio show called "Conversation with the Councilman" on 1590 AM KPRT. He is a frequent host, guest speaker and commentator at events across the country.

Committees, Commissions and Boards

 * Committees
 * Transportation & Infrastructure Committee
 * Neighborhoods & Healthy Communities Committee
 * Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee
 * Special Committee for Small Business


 * Commissions
 * Parking & Transportation Commission


 * Boards
 * AdHoc Group Against Crime
 * Board Chairman
 * American Jazz Museum
 * Board Member
 * Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation
 * Board Member
 * National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO)
 * Regional Director
 * Young Elected Officials Network
 * Policy Council

Recall Attempt
In January 2012, a few community and faith groups announced a plan to seek Reed's recall. The main criticisms cited were Reed's lack of political experience and his lack of initiative in stopping the construction of the East Patrol Division and Crime Lab Campus in East Kansas City. The construction of the East Patrol Campus would force about 60 residents to relocate.

One of Reed's biggest detractors, Rev. L. Henderson Bell, pastor of the Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church, who believed Reed's lack of political experience was hurting inner-city residents, recanted his statements against the councilman just two days after the effort for recall was launched. Rev. Bell cited in-depth conversations with younger members of his congregation for his change of heart.

Under the Kansas City, Missouri City Charter, the committee of petitioners had 30 days to gather 1,633 valid petition signatures from Third District registered voters to trigger a recall election. In June 2012 the petitioners turned in 79 pages of signatures to City Hall; however, they admitted to not having the amount required for a recall election. Election officials estimated the group needed 700 more valid signatures and once certified, they would have 10 additional days to collect the required number of signatures. The group was only able to collect about 400 additional signatures, which was an insufficient amount for a recall of Councilman Reed.

The same group attempted to force another recall election by filing a second Affidavit in Support of the Recall of Reed. They submitted the affidavit to the City Clerk's office and it was certified in November 2012. However, the group never submitted any signatures in support of the second recall attempt.