(DailyVantage.com) – A petition to recall the entire city commission of Springfield is in the process of being filed due to frustration with the city’s handling of long-standing issues, particularly in relation to housing and public safety. The petition, obtained by Blaze Media, targets Mayor Rob Rue, Assistant Mayor David Estrop, and Commissioners Krystal Brown, Bridget Houston, and Tracey Tackett, accusing them of neglecting their responsibilities as leaders.
The petition, citing Section 59 of the city’s charter, lists several grievances against the commission. Chief among them is the claim that the city has failed to enforce building codes, leading to dangerous living conditions. The document accuses the commission of allowing unscrupulous landlords to rent homes in poor condition, which has made it difficult for long-term residents to find affordable, safe housing. This issue has been exacerbated by the arrival of 20,000 Haitian immigrants in recent years, creating what the petition calls an “untenable housing crisis.”
Another major accusation in the petition is the misuse of funds meant to strengthen the Springfield Police Department. According to the document, residents voted for a special real estate tax levy to hire an additional 24 police officers, but the funds were diverted to other purposes instead of being used to improve public safety as intended. This, the petition argues, has left the city under-policed and unable to respond adequately to the rising concerns within the community.
Local residents, like Mark Sanders, have described how landlords are taking advantage of the housing situation by renting individual rooms to different families, significantly driving up rents and further squeezing out U.S. citizens from the housing market. Many displaced residents have been forced into makeshift encampments around town, unable to afford housing in Springfield.
A committee is being formed to manage the petition process. Once finalized, the city commissioners will have five days to submit a 200-word defense before signatures can be gathered. If 15% of registered voters sign the petition within 30 days, a recall election will be triggered. Efforts to reach Springfield’s city manager’s office by Blaze News have so far been unsuccessful, with calls going unanswered, as reported by NTD News.
Copyright 2024, DailyVantage.com
