Some Rock Hill nonprofits need money. Should York County taxpayer dollars help?
The question on the table: Should York County Council use taxpayer money to support nonprofits?
That’s what county council members debated Monday after leaders from Pathways Community Center asked for a one-time donation to help fund the renovation of their facility.
Pathways is a Christian-based, nonprofit organization with a mission to create one location for multiple agencies and provide services for people in crisis.
Pathways will provide 30 to 40 full-time, part-time or by request tenants who will help clients. Tenants will include Renew Our Community, The Haven and others. Services include help with food, clothing, housing, medical care, substance abuse treatment and transportation.
Charles Price, chair of the Pathways board of directors, said they hope to open the center later this year.
On Nov. 16, Pathways’ board closed on a 40,000-square-foot site at 546 S. Cherry Road. It’s a former school turned business center. A loan from South State Bank allowed Pathways to move forward with purchasing and renovating the building.
Price said they sent a request two weeks ago to county council for $150,000-$200,000 to help with the $600,000 needed to renovate the building.
“We don’t want our clients, which are the agencies of York County, to be burdened with that,” Price said.
The city of Rock Hill, Price said, gave $75,000 to the project last fall and again is considering Pathways in this year’s budget.
Councilman William “Bump” Roddey said the York County Council stopped providing funding to nonprofits a few years ago.
“Some council members felt it wasn’t our business to tax the citizens and to then redistribute their tax dollars to nonprofits,” Roddey said. “It puts us in the business of picking winners and losers.”
However, council member J. Britt Blackwell said Pathways’ request is different.
“We kind of got out of that years ago, but this is not really the same thing. This is just money to help them build a facility that’s going to provide efficiencies to cover this kind of needed care in the county in one location,” he said.
Roddey said while he supports Pathways, which is within his district, he worries about granting the request.
“It’s a tremendous effort, noble cause, for a group of citizens right here out of Rock Hill and York County to put this type effort together to bring this to the community,” Roddey said. “Regardless of the cause, regardless of the mission, we set out and made an effort to say we would try to stop giving out money to nonprofits and not-for-profit causes.
“I hate to see us start to open that door again, and then close it back for the next group,” he said.
However, York County does provide $125,000 a year to Keystone Substance Abuse Services because the county is required to support a substance abuse program, said Kevin Madden, assistant county manager.
Although it is not required, the county gives $25,000 a year to Safe Passage in Rock Hill, which offers resources for victims of domestic and sexual violence, Madden said. That donation is an exception to a prior county council decision not to provide funding for nonprofits, he said.
“The view of prior Councils was (Safe Passage) provides a service for the county regarding abused women and that it was worthwhile,” Madden said.
The council also is considering a request from Keystone for an additional $410,000 and a request from A New Creation of York County for $200,000 to build a safe house for victims of human trafficking, Madden said. In total, Council will discuss whether to fund an additional $810,000 in requests from nonprofits.
If the requests are approved, Council may have to consider a tax increase to provide funding, Madden said.
Madden, when asked, said he personally does not support giving taxpayer money to nonprofit organizations.
“Ultimately, the council’s will is what drives the budget,” Madden said.
The Herald has asked, via a Freedom of Information Act request, that York County provide a complete list of nonprofit groups that receive funds.
Councilwoman Allison Love said York County Council has to be consistent.
“People give to different things. People have different charities that it’s in their heart to give to, and I don’t think that Council can make those choices for taxpayers,” Love said.
Councilman Robert Winkler said Pathways will provide services such as drug rehabilitation that will save taxpayers money in the long run. He said the services provided under one roof with Pathways may help reduce the amount of people going to the local prisons.
“I’ve talked with our law enforcement partners in the county. I kind of see this as a quasi-governmental organization,” Winkler said.
Pathways is an independent organization, funded by local churches, groups and individuals. It is an effort initiated last year by Rock Hill businesses, churches, government agencies and community leaders. The Pathways project began from a study a decade ago identifying homelessness and related services as a need in the area.
Pathways leaders have raised more than $1.6 million of the $3 million for the project, Price said. He said $2 million of the cost is tied to the facility and renovation, with the other money going to the first few years of operation as tenants move in.
JM Cope Construction gave $100,000 last year that matched a community-driven donation.
York County Council will continue the discussion and are looking at how the request will be funded if it moves forward, Madden said. He said the budget process will last into June.
For more information on the services offered at Pathways Community Center, visit pathwaysyc.org.
This story was originally published March 6, 2019 at 12:35 PM.
