Council outlines city's 2006 legislative policy

Council approved the 2006 Springfield Legislative Policy, which lays out the city’s views on a number of key issues including economic incentives for new and existing businesses and the state’s attempts to change laws regarding eminent domain.

Economic incentives, the adopted policy states, are essential to allow Missouri communities to compete for jobs. The policy also says that the state and federal government should make efforts to offer more incentives, such as venture capital and competitive financing, to businesses that might be considering building in the area.

The legislative policy also discusses the state’s stance on the use of eminent domain in economic development. While the city supports changes in the law “to ensure fair treatment and just compensation of property owners and to further define blight,” the policy urges care in changing the law because the use of eminent domain, “when exercised in the sunshine of public scrutiny, helps achieve a great public good that benefits the entire community.”

City Manager Tom Finnie said there are cases when eminent domain is necessary, pointing to one case where a piece of property was going to be purchased from a private owner who was in jail. The property had several liens against it, and the owner did not have the resources to resolve the liens, so eminent domain was used to clear the title.

“The key in our minds is to look carefully at the eminent domain law – make those changes that are appropriate, but don’t change just for the sake of change,” Finnie said. “There are some good reasons for eminent domain.”

New boundaries

Council also approved a resolution marking the boundaries for future expansion of Springfield and Rogersville. The resolution sets the east-west line at Farm Road 213 and the north-south line at Farm Road 156.

Finnie said the boundaries allow for future free expansion of both communities without potential conflict.

“We know we won’t be hemmed in, and Rogersville knows that they have a large area to grow into,” he said. “The citizen then has the advantage of knowing, five years from now or 20 years from now, what city they’ll be in. So there won’t be a lot of surprises or arguing about it.”