By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders won't be a KC mayoral candidate in 2011.

"I'm not going to run," Sanders told me early this afternoon.

That's good news for mayoral wannabes Mike Burke, Sly James and Albert Riederer.

Sanders would have entered the mayor's race with a ton of positive momentum thanks to the overhaul he's given Jackson County government since being elected in 2006.

Sanders has plenty of work still ahead of him: He will run for a second term as executive in 2010.

Here's one benefit of Sanders' decision: The county is doing a lot with the city right now, such as opening a regional jail that takes the city's MCI prisoners and working on TIF reform.

Now, current Mark Funkhouser won't have to look over his shoulder at Sanders every time they get together, thinking of Sanders as a political opponent. Funkhouser, despite all the problems he's encountered in his first term, still appears inclined to run for a second one in 2011.

I hope this development involving Sanders especially means Funkhouser and Sanders get to be really close -- and effective allies -- in reforming the way economic development dollars are handed out in KC.