DEANA STROISCH
The State Journal-Register
Any full-time, part-time or temporary employee hired after Oct. 28 would have to live in the city of Springfield, under a residency rule proposed by a Springfield alderman.
Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, who campaigned on the issue, has officially filed his proposal with the city clerk’s office. Aldermen will debate the idea in the coming weeks. Under his proposal, future employees who do not maintain residency in Springfield could be fired. New employees who live outside the city would have two months after being hired to move within city limits or obtain temporary waivers.
McMenamin called the proposal a “good first step” and rattled off a number of reasons why new hires should be required to live in the city. The employees will be paid well, McMenamin said, and will probably buy homes and start families, helping boost Springfield’s economy – possibly even reducing the number of vacant homes. “When the unemployment rate is what it is, for sure we should be giving our own citizens a first shot at jobs for which they’re qualified and skilled to perform,” he said. “We’ve got to put Springfield first if we believe in Springfield.”
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 