Don't miss the HBA Home & Outdoor Living Show, April 12 - 14, 2024 Wilson Logistics Arena  |  Ozark Empire Fairgrounds  |  Springfield, MO
Don't miss the HBA Home &
Outdoor Living Show
April 12 - 14, 2024
Wilson Logistics Arena
Ozark Empire Fairgrounds
Springfield, MO

VOTE on April 7th, 2015 – Average Voter Turnout 9-15%

Once again another election is upon us. With the average turnout for municipal elections between 9%-15%, it seems that most voters don’t care. Unfortunately, that is the wrong attitude. In fact, local officials have more impact on your daily lives than you might realize. They determine regulations for business, ordinances that govern its citizens, and how and what our children learn. Local officials have input on from the electricity that your morning alarm clock uses to the roads you use to get home at night and almost everything in between.

In the building industry they are even more impactful. City officials set policies like planning and zoning or building codes that can have a sizeable and expensive impact on your industry. Some municipalities have tried to impose costly impact fees, mandatory fire sprinklers, licensing, codes, or other policies that can have costly effect to your business. We contracted a local study on the economic impact of housing and found that for every $1,000 the price of a home increases, 512 families cannot afford that home.

The above reasons are why your HBA advocates for you on issues at the local, state, and federal levels. We are also a part of a political action committee (PAC) with the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, called Springfield Good Government, to get pro-growth candidates elected to the Springfield City Council, and our own PAC, the Coalition for Building a Better Tomorrow, (CBBT) for other local offices in the surrounding communities.

We encourage you to vote for candidates endorsed by Springfield Good Government or the Coalition for Building a Better Tomorrow. If you live in Springfield, Springfield Good Government has endorsed Buck Van Hooser, Jerry Compton, Kristi Fulnecky, Bob Stephens, and Ken McClure as the best fit for our industry. In Ozark, the Coalition for Building a Better Tomorrow has endorsed Rick Gardner for Mayor. In Rogersville, the Coalition for Building a Better Tomorrow has endorsed David Adair for the Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District board.

Thank you and remember to vote April 7!

By Miles Ross