SAPA is having dangerous impact on crime in Cape Girardeau

Today, Governor Parson opens a special session of the General Assembly. Very special, in fact, because it allows him to use your tax dollars to grandstand on what he hopes will be the hottest issues defining the 2022 campaign -- tax cuts and agricultural support. He hopes you will forget about his failed leadership on multiple fronts. Let's start with crime.

Our state and our city have serious crime problems. A recent Missouri Chamber Foundation report titled "Safer Missouri Stronger Missouri" indicates that our state ranks fourth in violent crime. If you were thinking that things are getting bad in our city then you are correct. Cape Girardeau County is listed in the same category as the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City in incidents of violent crime per 1,000 persons.

A significant contributor to this problem is the Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA). As Mayor Stacy Kinder said in her State of the City address, "In my opinion, rising populism legislated under the guise of conservatism is having a very negative impact on our ability to keep our community safe from some very dangerous people." Our police chief, Wes Blair, has been critical of the law's negative impact on his department as well.

An unfortunate impact of SAPA is that it has turned out to be a giant sign across our state reading: "Criminals: Welcome to Missouri."

For real change vote for me, Andy Leighton.

For more information or donate: www.upballot.com/andy-leighton.

Andy Leighton, Cape Girardeau

Paid for by Leighton For Democracy, Ron North, Treasurer, PO Box 763, Cape Girardeau, MO 63702.