Jenson, meanwhile, emphasizes the need for police officers to have as close a connection to the communities they serve as possible. They need to make the best decision they can at the time on the street and take care of the problem.” So the last thing you want an officer to be worried about is ‘Wow, if I make this decision or to arrest somebody, what's my leadership and city going to do?’ I want that far removed from the decision. The most powerful tool that an officer has on the street is discretion. “What I want to bring to council is that the officers know they're supported. Nokes believes having someone who has direct law enforcement experience on council will be an asset for the body. More about Zone 3 council race: Generational battle in Zone 3 council race over public safety, equity, neighborhood trust 'And if you're a person that wants to commit crimes in Springfield, your expectations should be you're gonna be held accountable, which means you probably will go to jail and be locked up.' We want people to help us (with) economic growth,' he said. If you're a resident or visitor, you can expect to be safe in Springfield. 'I want the public to expect for the community to be safe. Brandon Jensonįor Nokes, the most important issue facing Springfield is crime and public safety. Lee has been endorsed by the Springfield Good Government Committee and Springfield Police Officers Association, while Adib-Yazdi has been endorsed by the Central Labor Committee. In his view, since poverty is highly correlated with crime, the best way to reduce crime is to reduce poverty and increase homeownership. Right now people are afraid to park their vehicle outside because things are going to get stolen or they're going to get hurt,' Lee told the News-Leader.Īsked how the city should address crime, Lee said there needs to be more support for police.Īdib-Yazdi cites recently announced data showing crime in the city fell 17 percent last year and told the News-Leader that the best way to address public safety is by 'supporting, protecting and strengthening our neighborhoods.' 'We have got to provide a safe environment where people aren't afraid to go out. Lee called crime his 'number one issue' while Adib-Yazdi believes the issue is not as bad as many believe. The candidates also differ on their approach addressing public safety. You have to generate more revenue, and you have to make the place better. So it's a hard balancing act …,' he told the News-Leader. 'If whatever shiny thing that's going to generate sales tax adversely effects neighborhoods or neighboring properties, then people aren't going to want to live there. More about General D council race: General D council candidates have similar backgrounds, different viewsĪdib-Yazdi likewise called the city's rezoning and development process 'broken' but he believes the city unfairly prioritizes developers over concerned neighborhoods. I think that some of those things are necessary, but we've gone way too far with it.' Probably not all they want, but whatever they can, and it's gotten too much. Any the city looks at that as a way to take whatever they want from a developer, whatever they can. 'If you change in any way, if you subdivide, if you rezone if you want to change your use - you have to get what's called a conditional use permit.

The city often tries to 'take whatever it can' from a developer when their project needs rezoning, according to Lee. Bach has been endorsed by the local Teamsters union and Springfield Central Labor Council.

The Good Government Committee is a PAC jointly founded by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield. McClure has been endorsed by the Springfield Good Government Committee and the Springfield Police Officers Association. So, if our crime problem and our shelter problem are already out of control, and everyday citizens and residents are having their quality of life affected by that, then why would we not want to focus on getting our issues more under control before we grow even larger?” 'The bigger that we get and the larger that we grow, our problems are just going to become multiplied exponentially. 'Why are we not getting our major problems under control before we focus on growth?' Bach told the News-Leader. Our ability to continue to grow will ensure our vibrancy and our success,” McClure said.īut Bach labeled McClure and other city leaders as promoting “development at all costs.” 'If we do not grow, we will decline, and a declining community eventually becomes a dead community.

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