Mark Smith Aims for Biz-Friendly Town

Mount Pleasant heads to the polls Tuesday, November 8, to fill four seats on the town council. Three incumbents and six challengers are running for the at-large posts. This week, Mount Pleasant Patch will profile all the candidates.

Mount Pleasant is already a solid place to live, work and raise a family, but the town needs solid leadership and some changes to stay on that path.

That’s the view of Mark Smith, one of nine candidates seeking a seat on town council.

“The town has some unique challenges,” Smith said. “I want to create and continue to have a strong and sustainable economic plan.”

Read profiles of all the candidates.

Moving forward, the town should focus on providing fire and police protection and sanitation services. Those are the core of what municipal governments should offer, he said. The council should focus on prioritization of the rest of its offerings.

“I think we should explore and create new opportunities for revenue through growth and privatization,” Smith said.

He also thinks the town should strive for a pro-business and pro-family environment.

"The top issues that are facing Mount Pleasant, and that are on the top of the list for most people I’ve encountered, are the economy and jobs,” said Smith, who owns McAlister-Smith Funeral home.

Taxes, education and crime also rank highly as concerns for residents, he said. But most recently, residents have become concerned about how the town will fund its retiree healthcare shortfall.

“That’s got to be dealt with,” Smith said. “We can’t afford to un-fund that. We can’t afford to kick that can down the road.”

Current retirees and employees nearing retirement should be impacted the least by any changes, Smith said. Smith does, however, see that new hires and employees who have been with the town for a shorter period of time, could adjust to changes.

“We need to take a business-like approach to this problem and explore every option,” Smith said.

Since he is a small businessman, Smith says he has a firm grasp on what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur in Mount Pleasant. He wants to recruit new business and industry, but he’s not necessarily in favor of plunking down piles of cash to lure a big employer.

“We want to encourage them to come, but we also want to take care of our existing businesses and encourage them to expand here,” Smith said.

He expressed similar views as a candidate for county council earlier this year. Smith lost that race in a close runoff.

The best way to help businesses, he said, is for the town to simply stay out of the way. Low taxes, less regulation and continuing to have strong municipal financial health.

On top of that, having good access to health care and education are important. Drawing those businesses will expand the town's revenue stream beyond residential development.

“The town has done a good job managing its expenses … We don’t run a deficit,” Smith said. “But we need to look at our prioritization of our spending and how we are allocating those dollars.”

Mount Pleasant is already a place people want to live, and that’s from years of good management, Smith said. It’s part of the reason he decided to relocate here to start a business in 1999.

Now, facing some challenges, the town just needs to protect its good quality of life, he said.

“I think when the town was recognized as an All-American City, that was really an acknowledgement of all our successes and strengths,” Smith said. “But I would like to lead the charge for us to receive that award, and others like it, every year for many years into the future.”

ABOUT SMITH
http://www.votemarksmith.com/
Age: 41
Personal: Married, 3 children
Professional: Owner/funeral director, McAlister-Smith Funeral Home
Why he's running: “I want to continue to make sure that the Town of Mount Pleasant continues to be a wonderful place for live, to raise our families and to work. I’m proud to be a local small-business owner here and I’ve been very active and engaged in serving our community. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to have a leadership role in many civic, social and business and non-profit organizations. That’s taught me the value of a dollar, to do more with less and to build my leadership abilities. I’d like to put all those items to work as a councilman for the Town of Mount Pleasant.”