City Council Candidates Make Their Cases

West Ashely Patch sent the same set of question to the Charleston City Council candidates in an effort to help voters better understand what each hopes to accomplish in the office. Reprinted below are the question and the responses of the candidates.

1) What can or should the city do to foster an environment conducive to local job creation, and how would you proceed to make that happen?

Bob O'Brien (District 7): The job of Municipal Government and Council members is:

A) to provide the best basic services(Fire/Safety/Recreation/Water/Sewer/Sidewalks) for the least amount of taxpayer's money;

B) to be a responsive partner of and not a protagonist to positive economic growth in the community; and

C) To be truly a "Service" organization to the citizens and the business community.

Completion of those tasks will insure healthy growth and job creation.

Keith Waring (District 7): First, the City of Charleston should communicate to corporations and industries by all means available that Charleston offers a friendly job environment.   Also, during this slow economy, the City should review existing regulations that may have the unintended consequence of impeding the growth of small businesses.  For example, the Commercial Corridor Design Review Board was created to give additional oversight to new construciton and renovations throughout the main avenues and roadways of the entire City of Charleston. However, the result has been to place a punitive financial burden on small businesses.  I would call for an extensive review of the regulations of the Design Review Board to amend or eliminate the portions that place unreasonable financial burdens on the growth of small businesses.

Aubry Alexander (District 9): a)    Review and identify ordinances and policy that place barriers in front of business. 

b)    Improve workflow and technology to streamline application processes.

c)    Remove excessive regulation upon review.

Bob Aubin (District 9):The Charleston Jobs Action Plan

- City tax credits for businesses that hire local unemployed.

- Growing domestic and international exports for city products and services by working with the Charleston Local Development Corp. and partnering with other cities in the region to link local manufacturing businesses with the resources they need to export their goods.

- Increased funding for technology incubators and adding one or more to the West Ashley area.

- Improvements to critical city infrastructure such as crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, bus routes, and making improvements to high traffic roads.

- Strong support for our Police, Fire Fighters, and Educators, to ensure a safe and well-educated workforce.

Andy Brack (District 11): The city rightly has job incubators to help small businesses at the start-up phase. It also has four technology districts with its Charleston Digital Corridor.  None of these, however, are in West Ashley. 

I believe our city government needs to target a physical space now in West Ashley to house a business incubator to create work/do/play possibilities for small business entrepreneurs in West Ashley. I will lead efforts to realize this space, particularly to attract technology companies and creative companies. 

As a small businessman who thrives because of technology and the creative services industry, my experience in connecting people and developing bold, innovative solutions that will spur job creation will be a bonus for the area.

Laura Dukes Beck (District 11): Charleston needs to ask “how may we help you?” instead of “fill this form out and jump through these hoops” when it comes to businesses and job creation. I will work to smooth the process for businesses by cutting red tape, reducing unnecessarily high fees and taxes, and by reducing bureaucracy. I am very much in favor of small, local businesses that bring jobs and keep the money spent here in our local economy.  We are lucky that District 11 has thriving, diverse business centers. I will work to see that redevelopment in District 11 continues this trend.

Bill Moody (District 11): The City has an anti-business bias. I would consider putting a moratorium on development restricting ordinances that are hindering job creation. I would fast tract Union Pier development. The city’s business license is the highest in the area. It should be lowered and consideration should be given to any new business.

2) What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the City of Charleston and how do you plan to address it?

O'Brien: FISCAL- 55% of Charleston's revenues come from:

Federal Largess (GOING);

State Largess (GOING);

Fees, taxes related to the economy (in our depressed economy-GONE)

Charleston must:

Reduce it spending 10% annually for the next 3 years while maintaining services;

Triple its reserve funds to meet the upcoming shortfalls;

Stop spending $100,000+ yr. on lobbyists;

Stop suing James Island, saving $100,000+ yr.;

Reduce part time elected officials salaries;

Revert to zero based budgeting principles.

Waring: Just as everywhere in America, Charleston needs to attract entities that will create jobs for our citizens.  This will mean increasing collaboration with other major cities in the Tri-County Area to attract jobs to our region. We must work together to address this problem.  We cannot be parochial in our thinking but regional.

Alexander: Building a diverse sustainable economy is the challenge locally, regionally and nationally. Creating a healthy business/employment environment is job one. A fully employed citizenry will help move our economy forward; homes are built, products and services are purchased and revenues increase supporting infrastructure, education and City services. Those actions addressed in question one will go a long way in moving the local economy forward.

a)    Review and identify ordinances and policy that place barriers in front of business. 

b)    Improve workflow and technology to streamline application processes.

c)    Remove excessive regulation upon review.

Aubin: Crime is becoming a significant problem in Charleston. Having a properly funded and strongly organized Police force as well as a strong education system will lower crime. In addition having a stronger job market as advanced by the Charleston Jobs Action plan will also lower crime rates.

Brack: Charleston has a number of challenges - from schools, infrastructure, transportation and more.  But the biggest long-term challenge that City Council can tackle is the community’s lack of a real long-term plan that should be created and developed by the people who live here. 

Yes, there’s a Century V plan that city employees created. But that’s not what’s needed. We desperately need a plan for Charleston done by Charlestonians for what we want it to be in 2050. When hundreds of people come together to create a comprehensive plan for the future, we will be in a much better position to craft public policy in a way that can lead us to achieve community goals.    

I will lead efforts among council, nonprofits, businesses and community leaders to get this plan done, much like community leaders did in Greenville a few years ago.

Beck: Charleston must remember why it is a special town, and why folks want to come here to visit and to live. We must plan so that we do not lose the sense of community and history which make us unique. This will require us to look to the future while nodding to our past, and to make sure Charleston is the best place it can be to raise our children and grandchildren. We must address challenges which face our schools, traffic, crumbling infrastructure, environment, economy, and businesses, and do so with respect, forethought, independence, and vision.

Moody: In the early 1990’s we were known as a great place to visit. It is now known as a great place to work and visit. This region will be one of the top communities in the country to live, work and play. We have unique challenges not only facing Charleston but our state and our country. I believe these challenges bring great opportunities. As our city has done over the years, we must re-tool the way we do business and the way we govern. Boeing, for example, will change our economy forever. We must plan now to take advantage of this opportunity while maintaining a quality of life we all can call home.

3) What is your philosophy on government?

O'Brien: Charleston's government should be a "service" entity to Charleston's citizenry, in spirit and in effort.

Preserve and enhance what makes Charleston the cultural and historical gem that it is today.

Waring: To paraphrase the Hippocratic Oath that doctors take, I think government should first do no harm to its citizens.  Government should be responsive to the needs of the citizens that pay taxes.  It should work to enhance the quality of life for its citizens through the improvement and maintenance of infrastructure such as drainage and roadways.  It should ensure that departments such as fire and police receive training in current techniques and life saving responses to protect the citizens.

Alexander: Thomas Paine: “That government is best which governs least”.

Aubin: Our Country was founded on the ideals of social progress (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness), and that progress has expanded to more and more people over time. It is an important function of government to ensure it's citizens are offered the chance to succeed no matter the circumstances of their life.

Brack: City government should deliver world-class services at an affordable rate to keep and advance our quality of life.  Government should live within its means.  And government should be efficient with its tax dollars, which is why I am pushing for a performance review of city government to achieve up to $28 million in savings over five years.  Read more on my Web site at:  www.AndyBrack.com.

Beck: I am a fiscal conservative and a conservationist. I look at the issues presented and try to build a consensus, and I am an independent thinker. I listen to all of the stakeholders and then make a decision. Government’s purpose is to make sure that we are safe and that our infrastructure is well maintained. I am opposed to tax increases, and less spending is better.

Moody: The individual is the greatest minority in this country. This individual does not want protection. The individual wants freedom. Government should get out of the way and let each individual be as successful as possible. The success of the individual should come as a result of hard work and not as a reallocation by government.

4) In your opinion what is Charleston's best asset and how would you protect it and leverage it to improve the quality of life for Charleston residents?

O'Brien: Charleston, south of Calhoun Street, is the premier cultural and historical location in the United States. A portion of the Accommodation Tax Revenues should be utilized in other areas of the city, creating amenities
(such as is seen south of Calhoun St.) in the northern penisula and in West Ashley, marrying their identity more closely to downtown and encouraging tourist activity throughout the entire city. Our city center is beautiful; we
should strive to repeat that in the rest of Charleston.

Waring: Charleston's best assets are its people, our historical buildings and the geography.  We really are friendly and do show southern charm and courtesy to our visitors.  We are leaders in preservation.  What is unique to our preservation efforts is that we protect the essence of our architecture yet still make it livible.  Our buildings are not museum pieces but usable space.  Our geography that includes the beaches, marshland, and parks makes Charleston unique.  I will work to continue to provide public access to these venues and to ensure that all citizens can enjoy the history and charm that is uniquely Charleston.

Alexander: Charleston’s best asset is Charleston! It is a collage of people, business, education, history, climate, arts, preservation and forward thinking.

Aubin: Charleston's greatest asset is long rich history, we must protect it and ensure we have access to it. I would protect it in two main ways: ensuring that we take steps to protect our environment and historic buildings from pollution and improving our infrastructure - whether it be sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes and bus stops, or highways, roads, and parking. A clean environment and protected historic sites combined with a strong transportation network will provide many improvements to quality of life for residents and attract tourists to improve the economy as well.

Brack: Charleston’s best asset is its capital, both natural and human.  We’re blessed to live in one of the greatest physical spaces in the world.  Yes, it can get humid, but our physical beauties are so important to our quality of life that we need to protect special places so we can offer them to future generations.  We also are blessed to have outstanding people - our human capital - who live in West Ashley.  We need to ensure that we grow our sense of connectedness to improve our quality of life.  The more that people meet and talk, the better community we’ll all have.

As a member of City Council, I will work to bring people together through better planning, outstanding constituent service, fighting to protect what we’ve got and working to make what can be better become better.

Beck: It is a toss up between history and the environment! Without history Charleston is Anywhere, USA. Without the environment Charleston is not the wonderful place to live as we know it. We are so fortunate to be able to enjoy the outdoors. I will continue to focus volunteer efforts and allocate resources to parks and playgrounds, bike and pedestrian pathways, and by protecting and celebrating our waterways. Tourists come here to enjoy our beaches, golf courses, and city. We have a great quality of life. We must maintain the balance needed to be sure that this stays the case.

Moody: The best asset is our people and our way of life. The people will decide how and what to protect. If I am elected I will represent all the citizens of District 11. I will collaborate with the other council members to build a consensus for our City and region. My whole career, both professional and public service, has been about problem solving. I am not interested in whom to blame. I am interested in finding a solution to the problem