If you’ve tried to make change happen in Columbia, or anywhere else in our beloved state, you’ve likely been frustrated. And by “change” I mean any kind of change. Whether you’re Gov. Mark Sanford pushing restructuring of state government (the cause he and I share) or Michael Rodgers trying to get the Confederate flag down (ditto), you can feel like you’re butting your head against a wall.
Blame a system that was set up to resist change. The landed gentry who ran this state from the start set up institutions and fostered a political culture that was probably more resistant to change than any in the U.S. You can blame John Locke, in part. He helped Lord Anthony Ashley Cooper draft the original rules under which the colony would be run, and we have vestiges of that hyper-conservative (in the original sense of resisting change) system he helped devise to this day.
But that’s probably deeper than you want to get into it. The point is, change comes hard in these parts.
So I read with interest Adam Beam’s story today about how one group has managed to get a number of things done recently in the city of Columbia. You’ll note that our own Kathryn Fenner — regular contributor to this blog — and the Rev. Wiley Cooper were mentioned prominently.
Kathryn tells me that there’s one person who was NOT mentioned, though, and should have been. She said she credits “top city staffer Marc Mylott’s excellent quarterbacking for much of our success, as well as the support he received from his boss, Steve Gantt.” She described Mr. Mylott as “the Zoning Administrator, and the head of the development services department. He’s the city staff person designated to lead the task force –Wiley was the civilian head, and Marc did and does all the admin work and heavy lifting–coordinated with all the city departments — pulled together all their issues with the Code, etc.”
So, credit where it’s due. I thought that, as long as I was giving out plaudits for good work in Cayce, some folks who’ve been doing a good job at Columbia City Hall should get get some praise, too. People who deserve an attaboy don’t get one often enough.
Related Posts
Thanks, Brad! I like being y’all’s own!
1. Term limits on holding office. 4 years max, then you must wait 10 years to run again, for anything.
2. 30 day limit on legislative session, so people who have real jobs can serve, not just career politicians.
3. Real zero-based budgeting. Set a real budget. Then pass each bill with one subject, as required by the Constitution. That should force the lawmakers to set priorities as they consume the money. When the money is gone, there are no more laws to pass.
4. Fund the current year out of savings, instead of projected revenues.
This would be easy to do. Just cut the spending back to what it was 5 years ago, which would save 30%. In 3 years, there would be enough in savings to run the budget for one year. If you have low revenue, you reduce spending, just like a family or business.
5. No borrowing, period. No industrial revenue bonds. No school bonds. No highway bonds. Pay cash, not interest.
I know how much time and heart Marc Mylott puts into this city’s zoning, and I am glad that there are others who recognize his commitment. Kudos.
Thanks, Kathryn and Caitlin.
Do you think Lee meant to post that somewhere else, and just accidentally posted it here?
Brad, you mentioned Mark Sanford and our state Constitution, so I am thinking about making changes in Columbia that affect the entire state.
But the same principles apply to running a county, city, or the federal government. Obviously, the politicians who have mismanaged all 4 levels of government into corruption and bankruptcy would not agree with my approach to fiscal responsibility.