Mike Bedenbaugh, Executive Director of The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation
July 23, 2012
As South Carolina’s only statewide partner with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Palmetto Trust works hard for the advocacy of historic preservation, the education about our state’s history and culture, and the funding of historic preservation efforts.
The Palmetto Trust for Historic Preservation supported the Abandoned Buildings act (H4802) last session in the State house. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by James Smith (d) and Rick Quinn (r) passed the house unanimously 108-0, but stalled in the senate on the last day of the session.
The tremendous support for the bill was rooted in the positive fiscal impact study completed by The Strom Thurmond Institute commissioned by the Palmetto Trust last fall. The study proved that for every $1 of tax credit applied, it would create an additional $19 to $21 of additional state economic output, and for every $500,000 of tax credit, an additional 100 to 150 jobs would be created.
Due to the overwhelming bi-partisan support, the act is scheduled to be profiled for the upcoming 2013-14 legislative session.
