Your Questions, Answered

I have served on eight boards and commissions since leaving county council. In that time, everyone of those had to react to actions taken in the South Carolina Senate at least once if not more. Many of the decisions made in Columbia affect us locally more than you may know although it is not always intentional. It is very important for us to have a representative in the Senate with enough local experience to know how proposed legislation affects us now as well as how it may affect us in the future.

In South Carolina, the governor does not have as much power as many other states. This means a lot of the executive powers fall to the General Assembly. This body is made up of two parts—the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together they are responsible for traditional legislative duties including shaping state laws, approving the budget, and setting tax policy. They perform some executive branch duties as well, including appointing judges and members of many of the state boards.

My approach to community service has always been to attend community events when possible, seek public input, and read available information on subjects I am voting on in order to make the best decision for our community. I would also take the time to share my reasoning with anyone that wanted an explanation. After ten years on the City of Rock Hill Planning Commission and ten years on the York County Council, I felt I needed a break and stepped aside to give someone else an opportunity.

I want to be part of the solution to the division in politics. I believe there are plenty of people out there frustrated with the current system who are looking for someone to represent them.

Many folks have been encouraging me to get back into public service since I left county council. You have a lot invested in me already. I am rested and ready to represent you again. I can’t think of a better use of my vast local experience than to take your voice to Columbia.

The fact that this is a frequently asked question shows why I am running in the first place.

Ever since I became eligible to vote, I have always voted for the person rather than the party. When I decided to run for office, I had to pick a party. One of the reasons I ran then was I wanted to give people a choice. Running in the general election gave more people a choice than running in the primary, so I chose the Democratic Party. In addition, the fact that my grandfather, as well as many people that shaped my youth, were Democrats helped make my decision. In fact, most people in York County at the time believe it or not.

I served on County Council with one other Democrat and five Republicans. Most of the decisions we made went the way I thought they should. I did this by working in the middle and starting where we agree. When I was talking with folks while considering running for office, several people I asked who were familiar with my service didn’t realize I served as a Democrat. I take this as a compliment as I believe our job is to serve all of our citizens regardless of party or any other differences.

Most of the things I would change about the South Carolina Senate are the same things I would change about most of our elected bodies. I think it takes way too much money to run for office. I believe service in Columbia should be primarily focused on making the lives of our citizens better and not on re-election or anything else. I would limit “rider bills” attached to unrelated bills to increase transparency. I would also eliminate unintended consequences of bills that aim to solve one problem but end up creating others due to lack of foresight.

One thing I want to make clear is that I don’t have a magic wand. I understand the system is what it is today and is unlikely to change much in the near future. I would like to help create the change. Just like I have done in the past, I will do everything I can to represent you in order to deliver the best possible result for York County.

Give us 5 minutes and we’ll tell you.