Fiscal Discipline for the City of Columbia
As your representative, I will offer experienced leadership to assist the City in better managing its finances and restoring public confidence in the budgeting process.
I served 8 years on Richland County Council and two years as Council Chairman and am familiar with managing complex budgets.
During my tenure on Council, working with the business community, I led the effort to pass the one cent Local Option Sales Tax, which has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax relief to residents in the City of Columbia and Richland County.
And, under my leadership, Richland County received the distinguished All American Community Award in 2006.
City Council needs to make law enforcement and public safety in general a top priority.
The city's police force and fire service professionals are vastly understaffed and retention and morale in the departments are low.
A lot of people can make promises and talk about funding public safety; however I have an 8 year track record of voting to make public safety a top priority.
I support maintaining the consolidated fire service that the City and County currently have in place.
The Creative Class and Higher Paying Jobs
The City of Columbia and our region are blessed to have a major research university sitting in the heart of downtown.
The University of South Carolina and the research that takes place is the catalyst and economic engine that will fuel economic prosperity in our region and state.
Also, we are blessed with several other institutions of higher learning such as Midlands Technical College, Allen University, Benedict and Columbia Colleges.
We need to continue to partner with these institutions of higher learning to grow and retain higher paying jobs for the region.
Reducing Duplication and More Efficiency
I want to bring a new perspective to City Council, eliminating inefficiencies and strengthening cooperation among local government to better serve our Columbia and Midlands area residents.
I was blessed to have the opportunity to serve on County Council for 8 years. I have strong relationships with County Council's leadership and executive staff.
If elected to City Council, I will have the experience and relationships to bring better communications and more sincere efforts to eliminate redundant duplicative services and work toward more efficiency and a reduced tax burden for our businesses and citizens.