The Beaufort Gazette: Home Rule

Home Rule

Task force recomends change

South Carolina's new governor didn't dwell on the issue in his State of the State address Wednesday night, but one of his committees has touched on a long-overdue reform in state government relations with counties and municipalities.

The issue is Home Rule. More than a quarter century after the passage of Home Rule, state government still has its hand in too many local affairs. During the last decade, important changes languished in the General Assembly.

During the transition between election day and inauguration, Gov. Mark Sanford appointed a Task Force on Government Restructuring and Campaign Finance Reform, which released its finding on Tuesday, a day before the State of the State address.

Recommendations dealing with Home Rule didn't mention anything new. But they emphasize the necessity of change if local governments are to deal with problems effectively in the 21st century.

The task force recommends that those closest to the people should handle many government functions. "There needs to be a bias towards empowering local governments É," the task force said.

Among recommendations are:

Allow counties to eliminate public service districts if they want. South Carolina has about 300 special purpose districts that provide for water, sewer, fire, ambulatory and other services.

Give counties more options to raise revenue to reduce reliance on the property tax.

Establish an economic development infrastructure bank so that local governments, especially those in rural areas, have reliable, stable funding to attract business.

Identify and restrict unfunded state mandates, which siphon off local government money. These include the costs of infrastructure maintenance, environmental requirements and criminal justice.

Eliminate multiple agencies local governments must deal with to handle taxes, especially property taxes.

End the legislative delegation's role of approving appointments to boards, agencies and commissions.

All of these recommendations touch Beaufort County, but legislative appointments have been a sticking point for many years. County legislators have been leaders in the effort to get the law changed, but changes have languished in the Senate.

Little by little, the Home Rule Act has been implemented to change the way and the level at which important decisions are made.

This isn't exciting legislation, but it is important legislation that would return appointive powers to the halls of government closest to the people.

This isn't the most exciting idea before law makers this year, but it is important legislation that would return appointive powers to the halls of government closest to the people.