The next Council will need to establish priorities and make hard choices. We need to pay for essential services that make Mount Pleasant a great place to live and keep taxes low. These are difficult economic times for all municipalities. We must look for new ideas and funding sources to protect the financial health of Mount Pleasant. A degree in finance, a background in economics, and a career in law together with over 20 years helping people and businesses overcome their obstacles makes me particularly qualified to deal with our challenges. I am the candidate who brings to this council race the educational, business and financial background, and substantial relevant experience gained over several years working on a variety of projects for previous councils.
We need to aggressively pursue to completion our current economic development projects. Coleman Blvd, Johnnie Dodds Blvd and the widening of Highway 17 North must continue to move forward to take advantage of monies already made available from the state and federal government. We also need to work hard to keep our small businesses viable. Empty store fronts and vacant residential home sites need to be filled.
I make no apologies for being a fiscal conservative. As such, I intend to protect the financial health of the town while continuing to provide first class services. This will be hard in these tough economic times, but it is possible. We must carefully work with our town administrator, budgeting personnel and department heads to make certain we have the most efficient systems possible while providing essential services. My default setting is a belief that taxes and fees should only be raised as a last resort.
