Roads top agenda for York County business, political leaders

“Roads, roads and roads” – with nods to economic development and proper funding for schools – were all the talk Friday when York County business leaders had a chance to bend the ears of their elected representatives.

The state senators, representatives and congressman on the panel for the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative breakfast at Tega Cay’s Glennon Center had plenty to say themselves.

State Sen. Wes Hayes, R-Rock Hill, identified the top three issues before the Legislature as “roads, roads and roads,” saying all else “pales in comparison.”

With three road improvement plans under consideration – one advanced by Gov. Nikki Haley, another by a House committee headed by state Rep. Gary Simrill, R-Rock Hill, and a third by state Sen. Ray Cleary, R-Murrells Inlet – Hayes said lawmakers will take some action this year, in spite of Haley’s threatened veto of any plan that does not include a tax cut.

Haley proposes a gradual reduction in the state income tax rate in exchange for an increase in the gas tax to help pay for badly needed road repairs. Critics say that would not be an equal swap and the state cannot afford the hit to its revenue that would result.

A bill that would place a $100 cap on business license fees that cities and counties can impose – something many businesses would support – is likely to die in committee, Hayes said, but lawmakers should continue to explore changes to license fees to address the concerns of business leaders.

State Reps. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, and Raye Felder, R-Fort Mill, agreed with Hayes’ prediction, saying the effect of reduced license fees on local governments is not clear. They said a step in the right direction on the issue would be to examine how fees are calculated to come up with a fairer and more consistent approach.

Rock Hill schools Superintendent Kelly Pew asked lawmakers about legislation that would expand access to school choice programs, taking it beyond support for children with special needs to include “at-risk” students. She said the term “at-risk” is too vague.

Hayes agreed, saying “at-risk” could include up to 70 percent of the state’s students unless it is more narrowly defined, which he expects will happen. He also predicts a battle in the state Senate this year on the expansion of school choice, which many equate to a public-private school debate.

Fort Mill school board Chairman Patrick White told lawmakers that his district is still suffering from the 2006 passage of Act 388, which eliminated property taxes that helped pay for schools in exchange for an increase in the state sales tax dedicated to education. That swap did not work out well for schools, he said, particularly in high-growth areas like Fort Mill. White estimates his district loses several million dollars a year from this change.

Since Act 388 eliminated certain property taxes, Hayes said, the Legislature almost certainly won’t repeal or change it. He hopes alternatives can be found to increase money for schools.

Other issues discussed during the breakfast meeting included:

▪ Transportation – U.S. Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-Indian Land, predicted Congress would pass a transportation bill, but state and local leaders should not expect that to be the answer to the state’s search for money to repair and build highways.

▪ Export-Import Bank – Congress will likely reauthorize the federal agency that provides financing to businesses that export goods and services to other countries, Mulvaney said, but he is still working to reform it.

▪ Immigration reform – Linda Dyer Hart, a member of the regional chamber’s Tega Cay Area Council, asked Mulvaney about immigration reform, particularly as it could affect Ireland, which annually has more people wanting to immigrate to the U.S. than there are visas available. Mulvaney said there is talk about making unused visa allotments from some countries competitively available to other countries.

This story was originally published March 27, 2015 at 6:10 PM with the headline "Roads top agenda for York County business, political leaders."