Roads to counties? “Serious impact,” Moulder predicts

Oconee County Administrator Scott Moulder foresees serious financial impact to the counties if an effort at the state capital succeeds to transfer the maintenance of some state-owned roads to the counties. Moulder yesterday was the lead-off panel speaker for an Oconee-Pickens Chambers of Commerce Coalition forum, devoted in part to what some state lawmakers see as a partial solution to the state’s inability to maintain roads and highways. Speaking for his county, Moulder said a proposal for the state to allocate $750 thousand dollars a year to the counties to shoulder the maintenance won’t cut it. Scott Slatton, representing the South Carolina Municipal Association, told the gathering the issue is one that the business community, along with the municipal leaders, should not hesitate to contact their elected state representatives. And Slatton also said to be sure to make their concerns known, also, to Governor Nikki Haley, who won’t support an increase in the gas tax unless there is some relief to state income taxes.