Date Published: January 29, 2006   

Lawmakers pleased with lobbyist hire

By LESLIE CANTU
Item Staff Writer
lesliec@theitem.com

Sumter’s Statehouse delegation reacted mostly positively to the news that the city hired a lobbyist after its last meeting to help look after its interests in Columbia.

“I personally was pleased that the city has hired a lobbyist,” said state Sen. Phil Leventis, D-Sumter.

Leventis said he’s known the lobbyist, Steve Fooshe, for some time. Since the city hired Fooshe, he and Leventis have met and the entire delegation will meet with him soon, Leventis said.

“I think it makes sense,” he said. I see other communities spend thousands of dollars on receptions for the legislators. I see other communities spending money on lobbyists and I think that it’ll pay off. It helps Sumter and it helps us who are there a great deal.”

The delegation has a good dialogue with city and county leaders, Leventis said, and the lobbyist should be an extension of that dialogue.

State Rep. David Weeks, D-Sumter, said he was a bit surprised to learn of the city’s move.

“I’m not exactly sure what particular issues the city is going to address that the municipal association and those folks aren’t already doing,” he said.

However, he said, many communities now try to have a specific presence in Columbia, even if it’s a day when local officials visit the Statehouse or by sending packets of information to legislators.

State Sen. John Land, D-Manning, applauded the idea.

“It would be good to stay on top of us and corral us and be sure where we’re supposed to be,” he said.

As long as the city has the money, he said, it makes good business sense to have a lobbyist in Columbia. Legislators have a lot on their plates, Land said. Leventis agreed, saying it will help to have a full-time person who can look at the details and work in tandem with legislators.

“This is very consistent with the (Sumter) Base Defense Committee having (retired Air Force Maj.) General Tom Olsen as a full-time, very informed and active spokesperson and operative,” Leventis said.

The city hired Fooshe at its last city council meeting. He has a six-month contract at $2,000 per month.