KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jackson County prosecutor Mike Sanders announced Thursday he will run for county executive.

Sanders said he is running to end what he calls the old ways of county government.

'You know, one of the things we need to do is be more efficient and get more user-friendly, to react better with the taxpayers," Sanders told KMBC's Micheal Mahoney.

Sanders said he'll also continue to try to reduce the city's homicide rate. He said his office has produced the third longest violent crime sentences of any county in Missouri.

Mahoney reported that Sanders also launched a long feud with Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields, telling county lawmakers he had troubling information about Shields and the COMBAT anti-drug sales tax. A long investigation discovered accounting and budget problems within COMBAT's programs -- one examble being the in-school DARE program -- but it was never proved that Shields ever divered money as Sanders charged, Mahoney reported.

"In 2004, we were told the money wasn't there -- it was there. And that's one of the things we can pick up, which is taxpayer accountability," Sanders said.

It is not known if Shields, a Democrat, will seek a fourth term as county executive. However, Democratic City Councilman Jim Rowland is already in the race.

"Probably most people figure we're two large candidates that are going to take up a lot of room in this, so there probably isn't a lot of room for anyone else," Rowland said.

The primary is Aug. 8.