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Originally Posted by CaliNative
Doesn't the city function as a single metropolitan area? Not as if there was a fence at the boundary, especially since much of the boundary is the river. Although different tax policies and other laws could complicate things I suppose. How do Kansas City KS & MO feel about the other city? Is there a rivalry? If I lived there, I would just regard it as different parts of a single city, just like East & West Berlin are now. When police chase a suspect, do they stop at the state line?
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There is somewhat of a rivalry. Many businesses and corporations tend to cross the state line for better tax incentives. Waddell and Reed recently crossed over from Overland Park to build a brand new office building in downtown KCMO, before they were bought out. (the building is still being built) The Dairy Farmers association left northland KCMO (north of the river) to build a brand new building in western KCK , near the Speedway, and Soccer Stadium which also was formerly located at Arrowhead Stadium in KCMO. The practice is generally frowned upon and both side have informally agreed to not use incentives to lure companies across the state line.
I'm pretty much used to it, being a resident in the metro area for 50 years, but I can't help but feel, like if there was no state line there, how much stronger would the city be? How would it change the borders? To the southwest, parts of KCK would be gobbled up, along with northwest Johnson County and perhaps take huge chunks of Leawood and Overland Park, depending on how far south it goes. Hypothetically, if the northland remained intact, Kansas City would have close to 700,000 people instead of almost 500,000. Larger tax base, and less fighting over big projects which might require a vote.