The Sanford administration plans to restore to the Grand Strand what the Hodges administration took away: a local outpost of the S.C. Department of Revenue. This move, which will result in a Revenue office at 1330 Howard Parkway by year's end, makes sense.

Removal of the former revenue office in 2001 caused all manner of problems. Our community is a mother lode of people who pay state business and personal taxes, and of businesses and events requiring alcohol permits.

Such permits had to be picked up in person at a revenue office - especially inconvenient for business folks who buy Sunday weekly alcohol permits. The nearest such location is in Florence. Folks wanting to clear up business and personal tax issues have to travel there as well.

This was a shabby way to treat a money-making community that handsomely supports state programs. In correcting the problem, Sanford and Department of Revenue Director Burnet Maybank make life a lot easier for folks who needed and deserved a break.