OPINION |
by Lynda Orris, Springfield
Springfield's incumbent mayor has had three terms in office to deal with the issues, and yet here we are:
- Housing is in short supply.
- Crime is rampant: An article by CBS News in 2020 ranked Springfield 5th in the nation in a listing of Most Dangerous Cities in the United States.
- Poverty: Springfield has a high poverty rate, according to Census data. A study conducted recently determined that our 20+ percent poverty rate combined with our estimated 60 percent “rentership rate” leaves one-third of Springfield residents at risk for homelessness.
- Drug addiction and mental health issues: Resources from various sources need oversight so citizens can be assured their tax dollars are producing positive outcomes for our mentally ill and drug addicted citizens.
- Gang activity, which is being investigated by the Greene County Sheriff's Office along with federal agents, largely remains unacknowledged by leaders more concerned with optics than the realities facing Springfieldians.
These problems have a negative impact on the quality of life in Springfield. They make it difficult for people to live safely and comfortably.
As citizens, we need to work with the city government to create a better future for us and our children. The people of Springfield need a new mayor who'll unite us to solve these critical issues.
Melanie Bach is up to this task:
- She is a mom, with a law degree, who worked six years with the Sheriff's Office, gaining inside knowledge about how law enforcement really works. Also, she headed-up the creation of the city's largest Neighborhood Watch.
- For four years, Melanie tirelessly led a “David vs. Goliath” battle with City Hall to stop construction of a four-story apartment complex directly across from popular Sequiota Park.
- This development would have destroyed the charm and character of Galloway and removed hundreds of mature trees, potentially leading to more flooding of our beautiful, already water-logged Sequiota Park.
- Our city leaders refused to listen to the very neighborhood associations they helped create, wasting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer money on lawyers and an unnecessary election.
- Nonetheless, Melanie took on City Hall and led her neighbors and the voters of Springfield to victory with an unheard-of margin of 70 percent to 30 percent in last fall's citywide election.
In so doing, Melanie Bach has proven that she is the leader we need to move our city forward.
Dear Voters: On April 4th, please vote Melanie Bach as the first female mayor of Springfield, Missouri. It's time for change!