Mayor Benjamin Proposes Strong Mayor Referendum

Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin wants to let the public vote on a strong mayor referendum in November. 

In a statement released Tuesday, Benjamin said he would request a special meeting of City Council on August 13 to propose a "voter referendum on the way South Carolina's Capital City is governed."

Benjamin informed council during its work session Tuesday of his desire to hold the meeting on August 20 but he agreed to address the matter next week since that date conflicted with one member's schedule. 

The statement was released after Benjamin's proposed policy prohibiting non-law enforcement employees and elected or appointed city officials from appearing at crime scenes was defeated.

Read Benjamin's full statement below.

Serving as Mayor of Columbia has been the dream of a lifetime and a great personal honor and I have used this office as forcefully as I can to advocate positive improvements in our city.

I'm proud of the progress we are making in building a safer city, creating jobs, improving education and providing a high quality of life for our citizens.

Recent news has helped to demonstrate that the present system of governance in Columbia is outdated and structurally flawed. Like all Columbians, I'm frustrated by how long it takes to get things done.

Every day, friends and neighbors ask me to "take action" as mayor on a variety of problems, including controversies involving the Columbia Police Department.

Under the present system of governance. I've called for a thorough SLED investigation to ensure public trust in the city's police department. I've asked City Council to enact policies that remove all hints of politics from law enforcement. I've called for a crackdown on gang crime. 

But ultimately, I am limited to a role of advocacy. The Mayor of Columbia has only one vote on a seven-member council. 

The present system provides for a part-time mayor with no administrative authority. All city employees, including the police department, report to the city manager who does not report to the mayor. Instead, the city manager reports to a committee of elected officials.

Columbia has grown to the point that we need a mayor with modern executive authority. The present system muddies the waters of accountability. The time has come to make me and all future mayors accountable to the voters for the quality and efficiency of city government.

That's why I am calling on City Council to meet on August 13 and support a referendum that would let the voters decide whether they want a modern strong mayor form of government or whether they want to continue our present system of city management by committee.

My request of City Council is simple: let the voters decide.

Some will argue that we should keep the present committee system. Some will say they don't want mayors to have executive powers. That's okay. Let everyone make their case in a public debate to be decided by the people of Columbia. Surely no one who believes in the founding principles of America would stand in the way of allowing the public to vote on how they choose to be governed. 

I hope my colleagues on City Council will join me in giving voters the chance to make their voices heard. And if Council fails to empower the people, then I will stand strongly behind a petition drive to give voters access to the ballot.

Columbia's form of government could be changed by voters in a ballot referendum. Such a referendum can be placed on the ballot either by City Council ordinance or by a petition of voters calling for a special election to determine the form of government. According to state law (S.C. Code Ann. § 5-5-20), if City Council passes an ordinance or if 15 percent of Columbia's voters sign a petition, a special election must then be held between 30 and 90 days of the certified petition or the passage of the council ordinance to vote on the referendum.