Guest Column: Hoppe is the better candidate
Because of her experience and thoughtful approach to governing, I believe Barbara Hoppe should be reelected to the city council.
While others may speak of “balance” as a campaign slogan, Hoppe brings true balance to the office by approaching the complex issues our city faces with a wisdom gained through years of hard work on the council. She makes time to meet with her constituents to discuss the issues, and she always listens to varying points of view before making a studied decision, refusing to make up her mind before hearing the facts from all sides.
As a downtown property owner, and as someone who believes in the importance of a thriving central business district, I especially appreciate Barbara’s support for projects that revitalize downtown. She understands that you must continue to reinvest in older parts of the city. You can’t let the core of the city decay while only building new construction on the city’s edge.
When it comes to planning for Columbia’s future, Barbara has shown true insight into the needs of a growing Columbia in her extensive effort with the visioning process, and she has displayed similar insight into the future needs of Columbia’s economy with her support for more commercial shovel-ready land, the Discovery Ridge research park and the business incubator that will help transform technology developed at the University of Missouri into new businesses to feed our local economy.
Some people in the community have said she should not have worked to build a better compromise to resolve the Crosscreek controversy. Others have said she shouldn’t have tried to find a better site for the Landmark hospital on Old 63, but her logic and positions on the issues were sound. Many, including past city council members such as Bob Hutton, agreed with her.
Barbara knows the ropes, and she keeps abreast of the issues, but her most important trait is her willingness to listen. And that is the trait we need most in a city councilperson. I hope voters in the Sixth Ward will recognize her record of leadership and vote for Barbara Hoppe on Election Day, April 7.