Columbia, SC - The 2008 legislative agenda for South Carolina’s cities and towns was adopted by the Municipal Association board of directors last week and sets in motion action by local elected officials and their key influencers to reform the state’s annexation laws and support comprehensive tax reform instead of the short-term fix of a local spending cap.
The 2008 legislative agenda put forth by the Municipal Association of South Carolina centers on three areas: promoting economic growth, enhancing a positive quality of life and encouraging local accountability and fiscal responsibility.
“The Municipal Association and its member cities and towns have adopted a proactive legislative agenda focused on supporting local leaders making local decisions that are best for their residents,” said Fred Cavanaugh, mayor of the City of Aiken and president of the board of directors, “Hometowns are the economic engines that drive the state’s economic success and will for years to come. The Association supports legislation that gives flexibility and accountability to municipalities to support the state’s competitiveness and prosperity,” said Cavanaugh.
Two high profile issues on the Municipal Association’s agenda are updating the state’s outdated annexation laws and enacting comprehensive tax reform to ensure predictability in revenue streams and fairness to businesses and taxpayers.
“Both of these issues are at the core of building the state’s competitiveness,” says Rick Danner, mayor of the City of Greer and chairman of the Municipal Association legislative committee. “The annexation debate taking place in communities all over the state is a clear indication that the state’s annexation laws are no longer relevant to today’s growth patterns. We need to take a comprehensive look at how these outdated laws are affecting South Carolina’s ability to compete with our neighboring states.”
“Local governments, like businesses, need a stable, reliable and predictable source of revenue to provide the services that taxpayers demand,” says Kevin Johnson, mayor of the City of Manning and Municipal Association board member. “We are fooling ourselves if we think capping local government spending will solve the tax issues in our state. We need to take a comprehensive approach to tax reform, not another band-aid solution like spending caps.”
The agenda also focuses on recommendations from the Broadband Commission reviewing statewide wireless broadband, a statewide smoking ban that allows municipalities to enforce local bans, and proactive changes to local methods of fire suppression. As well, the Municipal Association agenda includes supporting legislators’ efforts to reform police pursuit laws in the state and following illegal immigration legislation at the federal and state levels.
For additional information on the legislative agenda of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, visit www.masc.sc.