Kill the Fill

Q: Why a political action committee?

A: A 501C3 cannot be involved in politics and a crowd source such as GoFundMe has no oversight.  A PAC allows us the flexibility to enter the political arena while also being governed by Missouri law under the Missouri Ethics Commission. 

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Q: What is a political action committee?   

A: A political action committee (PAC) is an organized effort to solicits contributions for a specific purpose outlined in the Statement of Organization.  Those funds are then used to run the PAC and to achieve that purpose.  There are many types of political action committees: candidate committees, continuing committees, political party committees, and campaign committees.  

 

Q: What type of committee is Kill the Fill PAC?

A: We are a continuing committee.  A continuing committee stays in existence until dissolved whereas the other types are only in existence for a specific election cycle. 

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Q: How do I know that the PAC is a legitimate organization to donate to?

A: PACs are strictly regulated by state law through the Missouri Ethics Commission.  This is a legitimate, tax-exempt entity required to file quarterly and annual reports and obey the laws set forth in the Missouri constitution and the IRS.  Failure to do so is punishable by fine and/or criminal charges.  

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Q: Is the PAC affiliated with any political party, organization, or politician?

A: No, Kill the Fill PAC is not affiliated with any political party, politician, or organization as stated on our Statement of Organization filed with the state of MO. Our sole purpose is to assemble efforts to defeat the proposed landfill in south Kansas City, Missouri, and we are open to working alongside any legislators willing to advocate for our cause.

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Q: Can contributions made to Kill the Fill PAC be used to fund a candidate’s re-election campaign?

A: Yes and no.  A continuing PAC is allowed to make candidate contributions to a politician; however, there are contribution limits. For example, a House Representative has a max contribution per contributor of $2k.  Oftentimes there is a strategic advantage to making a candidate contribution.  Any such expenditures made from Kill the Fill PAC will be done so only under the advisement of a political strategist and with the approval of our 7-member board.

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Q: What happens to my contribution to Kill the Fill PAC if the landfill issue gets resolved before it’s spent?

A: In the event the proposed landfill is successfully shut down and Kill the Fill PAC is no longer needed, we will use a weighted system to return as much of your contribution as possible.  If there is a nominal amount remaining, those funds will be distributed to a local non-profit.

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Q: How can I see how the PAC is spending their money?

A: All contributions and expenditures are required to be publicly filed each quarter.  You can click this link to search those filings: https://www.mec.mo.gov/mec/campaign_finance/CFSearch.aspx

If you have questions between filings please email: KilltheFillKC@gmail.com.  We are completely transparent.

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Q: What are some of the things the PAC intends to do with the funds they’re raising?

A: Our first priority is to hire a lobbyist.  That cost runs around $30k.  Our next large expenditure would be around strategy.  For example, we can make candidate contributions to support our politicians; a strategy that is expensive, but perfectly legal and likely exploited by the Monheisers in the prior session.  Candidate contributions gets us a seat at the table and shows gratitude for their support among other strategic advantages.  To put that into perspective, if we were to make the max candidate contribution to each senator that would cost us $84k.  Our next largest expenditure would be marketing.  We need to market this issue far and wide; billboards and radio spots are not cheap.

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Q: Are people compensated to help with the PAC?

A: No.  All people involved with the PAC are volunteering their time; there is no payroll being paid.

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Q: There’s no way this landfill will happen, why should I get involved?

A: This landfill can absolutely happen.  The developers have a war chest and an A team of lobbyists; they’re rumored to be buying land north of the current proposed site likely in anticipation of this 1-mile bill being passed in the next legislative session.  They are determined to get this landfill.

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Q: If the developers have deep pockets and a dream team to back them up, then isn’t this a lost cause?

A: No, definitely not.  We have nearly 50,000 residents within a 3-mile radius, sympathy, and a growing war chest.  Yes, it means we have our work cut out for us and we are dependent on the community to come together, but it is absolutely doable.  We are working this issue from every angle possible: opposition research, environmental, federal, staying relevant in the media, marketing, raising a war chest, hiring a lobbyist, courting politicians and gathering political support, meeting with experts, etc.  We are doing everything humanly possible to put a stop to this landfill.  

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Q: Who represents the PAC?

A: The PAC is made up of community volunteers from both Jackson and Cass Counties including Kansas City, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, Belton, and Raymore. A Board of Directors was formed as a way to collectively make decisions on behalf of our communities and includes members from multiple cities in our region.

Q: What is the PAC’s goal?

A: Kill The Fill PAC has a mission to protect the health, homes, schools, and environment of Jackson and Cass County residents threatened by the proposed landfill in south Kansas City, Missouri. The PAC is actively working towards defeating this looming threat by attacking it from every angle: environmentally, nationally, federally, locally, statewide, raising awareness, building a war chest, courting politicians, opposition research, etc.  You name it, we are working on it.  One of our goals is to show up in the next legislative session with an impressive and very public war chest to show we mean business.  Last time, our community had trouble competing with lobbyists to get in front of the senators; this time they will have to give us a seat at that table.
 

Q: How can I help the PAC stop the landfill?

A: By donating either monetary donations and/or volunteer support. Monetary donations are strongly encouraged so the PAC has the means to hire industry professionals with the know-how to navigate local and state government affairs on behalf of our impacted community. If we show up to the next legislative session with a large war chest, information that is very public, the legislators will have to take us seriously and they will know that we have the means with which to fight.  Donations can be made here.