Letter to the Editor: Council campaign contribution limits the right move

Dear editor,

Thank you for your recent article on the proposed ordinance to limit campaign contributions for Springfield City Council candidates at $2,600 per candidate per cycle. 

When Fair Play Springfield was introduced by Councilman Craig Hosmer, I learned that there are currently no limits in place for these unpaid positions on City Council. For me, it certainly raises concerns about wealthy donors, businesses and developers getting too much influence on them once elected.

One has only to attend or watch our City Council meetings to see that these contributors are the majority of people seeking decisions from them compared to everyday citizens looking to get their basic issues met such as safe affordable housing, good jobs with livable wages and paid sick leave secured – which, by the way, have been the same continual issues for decades.

I applaud Councilman Abe McGull, chair of the Plans & Policies Committee, and committee members Heather Hardinger, Callie Carroll and Hosmer for their expressed support of campaign finance limits at this month’s meeting, which I attended. I also encourage my fellow citizens to contact the committee, too, if you support this commonsense ordinance, which is a good first step to get trust and transparency back in our local government elections.

You can also show your support by attending the next committee meeting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10, on the fourth floor of the Councilman Denny Wayne Conference Room at the Busch Building, 840 N. Boonville Ave.

—Kevin Richardson, Springfield