I don’t disagree with you.

The problem isn’t that there are no solutions. The problem is that the city has to put its money where it’s mouth is.

How many millions are we as tax payers paying for the the baseball field? You want to know the real reason why? It’s because the Hammon’s estate is insolvent…

New garage? How much tax payer money is that going to cost?

Want my solution?

If I had any actual say so in local government affairs, I’d play dirty with the big cities that bussed their homeless down here. It’s a FACT that that’s happened. I would find the last permanent residency for those that are picked up, and if you’re an out of tow we, back to your last point of residence you go. Bus ride and good bye.

I would immediately double the police force, instead of building a garage or paying millions for a baseball field, I would build an intensive work camp/rehab center.

I would immediately make ANY drug based felony punishable by having to do a stint at the work camp, where you’re also going to be forced to clean yourself up.

You have to stop playing nice with this mess. I recognize that this is going to be unpopular for some people, but for God sakes, our entire city is RIDDLED with crime and drugs.

It’s sad that so many people are like “awwww feel sorry for them”… I do! But THEY made the choice to be on drugs, THEY made the choice to choose crime. Nobody forced it on them.

To force every day normal people to have to deal with this doesn’t get any sympathy, but the people on drugs that are committing felonies do?

What the eff has happened to this country? For real though?

Get tough on it City of Springfield! We are TIRED of living like this.

This city cannot and will not advance until it gets extremely serious about this problem. It’s threatening the city’s future. Our leaders are inept at dealing with it decisively.

I have lived downtown now for at least a solid 9-10 years of my life now.

The parking garages we have now, are very rarely ever full. The only times they do get full is the few times there are parades/events.

Justifying the cost of another garage downtown just for those handful of events isn’t something I can do.

Let’s talk about what there ISN’T downtown.

For one, the closest gas station is either the meth infested gas station on Chestnut, or the semi-meth infested Kum N Go by MSU. The closest we have to a convenience store is Park Central Market by Sky 11.

There are no grocery stores downtown. The closest one is Price Cutter, which is old, dirty and quiet frankly sucks. And then we have the meth Walmart further South.

Third, if this city can’t figure out what to do about the homeless and drug problems in Springfield, you’re going to start losing your more adult population and this city becomes nothing but a student town. Especially downtown.

People are sick of the crime. Business owners have had it with the homeless drug addicts that constantly tear up their bathrooms and establishments, steal, cause problems, etc.

The city is in real threat of de-evolving from the perspective of retaining a more complex work force and business environment because it can’t control crime.

Instead, apparently we do have millions for ballparks and building un-needed garages downtown.

But homeless, drug problems and crime?…. Nah. That can wait.

I wish that our city leaders were forced to live downtown for at least a year before they’re allowed to take office so they can’t just see things from the perspective of their relatively safe South side neighborhoods they tend to live in.

So generally, anything North of Sunshine, not the best. Anything North of Chestnut, is a no go.

Between Sunshine and Republic road is fairly safe. Anything South of Republic road is considered very safe.

There are one off’s everywhere.

For example the Phelps Grove area, pretty safe and nice area even though it’s South of Sunshine.

Then there are the neighborhoods that are far North, like North of the fairgrounds.

Those are pretty safe too.

Just don’t be around “Stabby Walmart”… NW side Walmart…