Mayor Bob Coble.

June 24, 2007

MidlandsBiz:
What is your vision for Columbia?

Bob Coble:
These are exciting times for Colombia.  If I could focus on one thing it would be to have Columbia enter into the knowledge-based economy centered on the USC research Campus and Innovista.  If you can build on the fuel cell district to concentrate on hydrogen fuel cells, there is a great economic opportunity for the city.

MidlandsBiz:
What did you think of the Governor’s veto of the hydrogen bill?

Bob Coble:
It was overridden.  Only 2 Senators and one House member voted with him on this.  It’s a philosophical stance that is hard to fathom and I’ve quit trying to figure it out.  At this point in his administration, the vetoes seem to be overridden almost unanimously.  The veto of the autism bill is another case in point.  I can’t see why you wouldn’t want to help out there – it’s bizarre.

MidlandsBiz:
What are the key drivers of success in building a knowledge-based economy?

Bob Coble:
We have to be able to take the knowledge and research coming out of USC and bring it into an end product that creates jobs and wealth here in Columbia.

A great example of this is the research done by Professor Myrick at USC. He has discovered a way in which a light beam can measure the content of compounds and it has great application in the testing of medicines. Rather than having to take a product offline for testing, manufacturers can accurately test the material online. 

How do you get this discovery to create jobs in Columbia?  You have to decide how the professor and the university are going to share in the wealth creation.  You have to have incubation space and the business expertise to help get everything going.  We have that infrastructure in place now here in Columbia and therefore the ability to grow our own companies.  What I would like to see here in Columbia is what happened in Austin Texas where a young University of Texas named Michael Dell created his company and it is still located there today.

MidlandsBiz:
Why is the homeless problem an important issue for the city?

Bob Coble:
Two things.  Firstly, we need to help the less fortunate in our city.  Whether it’s mental illness, or drug or alcohol abuse, some people just can’t help themselves.

Secondly, it’s an economic issue.  There is an economic impact – whether it’s use of emergency rooms or an increased demand for police.

MidlandsBiz:
What is the solution?

Bob Coble:

We are doing a housing first solution for the homeless as well as running emergency shelters.  These are practical ways that the city help out.  Housing first is a program that has emanated out of large cities such as Washington.  The old traditional system of having emergency shelters where everybody spends the night and goes back out during the day – while it may be a humane way of treating folks, it doesn’t do anything to reduce the actual number of homeless.

Housing first is a different model that takes those that are most costly to society economically and puts them in housing.  There, essential services are brought to them.  It has dramatically reduced the number of homeless in cities such as San Francisco.

Separately, the winter shelter is an emergency shelter of last resort.  We are operating two shelters, one on Bull Street and another one at the old fire station down in the Vista.

MidlandsBiz:
People are often talking about structural political reform and there is currently a Restructuring Commission Report.  In your opinion, do we need structural reform at the city government level and if so, what suggestions do you have?

Bob Coble:
I have advocated for a hybrid system of government.  Under the current system, the mayor has the exact same power as the other council members.  People think the mayor is in charge because of the name.  Really in most cities in the South Carolina, the mayor is simply the chair of the city council. It’s almost like running at the city from a committee.  We need someone who is more clearly in charge. 

I’d like to see us go to a system where the mayor has more authority, but where we still maintain the city manager.  The city manager has a key role of insulating the city employees from the political whims of whoever is elected. 

MidlandsBiz:
What are the chances that this reform will ever take place?

Bob Coble:
We are awaiting the report of the Restructuring Commission.  It’s long overdue.  We’ll just have to wait and see.  At the risk of appearing self-serving, I think we need this strong mayor system, particularly at this point in our history.

MidlandsBiz:
Have relations improved any with Richland County Council?

Bob Coble:
We just completed the animal services contract with Richland County. It was a long negotiation, but we now have a unified animal services facility on Shop Road.  The next thing we are working on is the extension of the jail contract.  We have had one success, let’s see if we can’t push forward with another one.

MidlandsBiz:
How important for you is to have a viable local bus system?  How do we get there?

Bob Coble:
Richland County stepped up and came up with a temporary solution.  I think the County is committed to finding a permanent solution to funding the bus system.  It’s going well in Richland County.  Where it’s not going well is Lexington County where they have had to cut back on services.

I would like to see the Cock-a Busses and the USC busses become a part of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA).  But we are going to have to have a dedicated funding source in place before the university will take a chance and turn their system over to the RTA. 

MidlandsBiz:
What is your leadership style?

Bob Coble:
It’s maybe a product again of the council form of government we have, but it’s more collaborative.  I try to build coalitions. 

MidlandsBiz:
What leader do you admire?

Bob Coble:
I like Joe Riley, the mayor of Charleston.  He has been a mentor and has always been someone I look up to.

MidlandsBiz:
Who do you support in the race for the White House?

Bob Coble:
John Edwards.  I supported him four years ago and since then I have gotten to know him.  I like him and I admire him.

MidlandsBiz:
What are your political aspirations?

Bob Coble:
I like being Mayor.  If I run again, it’ll be for Mayor.

MidlandsBiz:
How do you do it?

Bob Coble:
It’s half-time here and half-time at the law firm.  When I am done here, I wander down the street and go to work for a very good law firm, Nexsen Pruet, that allows me the flexibility to do this job.  The managing partner, Leighton Lord, is a great guy.

MidlandsBiz:
Has the City resolved the budget issue?

Bob Coble:
We passed the first reading of our budget today by a 5-2 vote.  We had delayed the budget one week because of a last minute alternative budget and we had to have meetings to discuss it.  Daniel Rickenmann wanted to use one time money out of our land acquisition account.  When we sell land, we put the money into an account to purchase other land.  He wanted to use that money so we would not have as large a tax increase – 3.5% versus 1.5%.  But if you use one time monies, they are not there the next year when you go to do the budget and to me, it just didn’t make sense.  With the passage of the new property tax bill, we are under a spending cap.  Local governments can only raise taxes by the annual cost of living increase plus the population growth.  We just felt that this proposal would put us in a hole for next year.

MidlandsBiz:
What books do you read?

Bob Coble:
I like biographies.  I recently read the biography of Truman and I liked it very much.  I also like reading books such as The Birth of the Creative Class and Freidman’s The World is Flat.

What is one of your favorite moments as Mayor?