South Carolina cities and towns face challenges and offer solutions for upcoming legislative session
January 20, 2009
COLUMBIA, SC – January 19, 2009 – The 2009 legislative agenda for South Carolina’s cities and towns was adopted by the Municipal Association board of directors in December and provides legislative solutions to challenges faced by cities and towns and their elected leaders.
The 2009 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 of SC has adopted a legislative agenda that supports the state’s economic success through local efforts,” said Rick Danner, mayor of the City of Greer and president of the board of directors, “In today’s global economy, we must work with state elected leaders and leaders of our local businesses to ensure success happens at the local level to benefit the state as a whole,” said Danner.
In this year’s legislative agenda, the Municipal Association supports efforts to create an independent tax entity that would be charged with studying the state’s tax system. Also addressed in the agenda are maintaining a fair and equitable business license tax collection system and updating annexation laws.
“The cities and towns in South Carolina stand ready to support the state’s competitiveness and future economic prosperity in the knowledge economy,” says Miriam Hair, executive director of the Municipal Association. “The Association and our members support legislation that recognizes cities and towns as engines that drive the state’s success and allows the leaders closest to the people to govern with both flexibility and accountability.”
The agenda also focuses on changes to allow cities and towns the same flexibility as counties to eliminate blue laws and allow businesses to open earlier on Sundays, as well as giving cities and towns the same opportunity to pass a “penny for progress” referendum for local infrastructure projects such as improvements to roads and bridges. As well, the Municipal Association agenda includes supporting efforts to reform police pursuit laws, encourages use of alternative energy sources and continues to support local decisions on local smoking bans.
For additional information on the legislative agenda of the Municipal Association of South Carolina, visit www.masc.sc
