Riley Running on his Record

CHARLESTON - A nine term incumbent, Charleston Mayor Joe Riley says he is proud of his record and the city's many accomplishments under his leadership.

"Even in these difficult economic times, we're the first city in South Carolina to have triple A credit rating," Riley said as he begins ticking off the reasons he believes Holy City residents should keep him in the mayor's office for another term.

"We're the safest city of it's type and size in South Carolina," he continued. "Our crime rate went down over 50 percent for three years and then 28 percent last year."

He points to national recognition for success in economic development, including a recent study reported on by the Wall Street Journal last week identifying Charleston as having the highest per capita growth in residents with college degrees in the nation.

"I believe I have been able to show the citizens of Charleston, working with them, what we can do together, and there's so much more to do," he said. "I hope that my record gives them confidence enough to allow me to continue serving."

Recently Riley has thrown his support behind increasing bicycle and pedestrian access in the city, including several projects in the West Ashley area. Crews began scraping up the pavement on St. Andrews Boulevard this week to install separated bike and pedestrian lanes from Wesley Drive to Old Towne Road, and will add bike lanes to the shoulder of Ashley River Road from Old Towne Road to Wallace School Road.

Next, Riley said he will be presenting a plan to the City Council to install bike lanes along Glenn McConnell Parkway from Bees Ferry Road to Mary Ader Avenue and to also install pedestrian crossing signals at the intersection to allow bike and foot traffic to get across to Wild Cat Boulevard.

"What that does is open up, substantially open up biking opportunities," Riley said. "Wild Cat is going to be connected with the Carolina Bay network of streets that have bike and pedestrian infrastructure which then gets you to Croghan's Landing. Croghan's Landing doesn't have separate bike and pedestrian, but a small section can get you to the West Ashley Greenway. So that one section on McConnell that we put in a grant application for would be a real game changer."

Riley said the best way for him to win a 10th term in office is to focus on doing a good job as the city's mayor.

"Each campaign is different," he said. "One great challenge I have is to successfully be conducting a campaign but to be attending my responsibilities as mayor. I guess you could say the best way to campaign if you're an incumbent is to do a good job."

Riley has also been a supporter of finishing I-526, and including bike and pedestrian infrastructure in the process. He supports the plan that would include a 7.9 mile bike and pedestrian link connecting the West Ashley Greenway to James Island County Park.

"I think it is a real wonderful movement that is alive and growing in our country and I think that West of the Ashley presents wonderful opportunities," he said. "It gives greater freedom of mobility to the citizens. They can safely get around on foot, they have more places to walk or jog, to get around on bike, for recreation purposes, early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, or to visit friends, or to go to work, or to go to shop."

Riley said the bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements add to the livability and quality of life of the city, which he sees as one of the main reasons people and businesses continue to move to Charleston.

Riley said he is also working to make Charleston the hub of a "BioTech, life science, digital corridor, knowledge-based economy." He also talked up the Charleston Local Development Corporation set up to assist small businesses.

"We recently got over $1 million of funds directed to the LDC from a number of programs that will give us more resources to help small businesses," he said. "We also work with business people and developers to solve problems and cut red tape to get developments underway."

That's why he supports dredging Charleston Harbor to allow the port to continue serving the massive ships that will only get larger once work to enlarge the Panama Canal is completed in a few years. That is also why he has been a proponent of the cruise industry in Charleston.

Balancing the city's quality of life with economic development is not difficult, Riley said, but it is necessary and an issue that must be constantly pursued.

"It requires wise planning and thoughtful adherence to plans; what it requires is continued focus, you have to stay alert," he said. "Charleston is attractive and successful in attracting businesses because among other things, we're a great place to live."

And though the city does not control area schools, Riley said education is just as important to the city's future as attracting good jobs, "so our children, when they graduate can return."

"To be successful, as a community, and for individual citizens to be successful in life, a quality education is important, individually and collectively," he said. "The city doesn't operate any schools but I do everything I can do as mayor or private citizen to enhance the quality of education, a new school creates a better learning environment and sends the message to children that their education is important."

He looks to the building of new schools and the rebuilding of current schools, especially in the West Ashely area as major opportunities for the city and its residents.