To repair roads, all to be considered

When it comes to repairing South Carolina’s worsening roads, State Representative Bill Sandifer and his colleagues in the Oconee Legislative Delegation indicate everything’s on the table. The delegation last night hosted a meeting with the Oconee County Council, on the eve of the start of a new legislative session. The state’s lawmakers this year are expected to give top priority to the state’s roads and bridges, a problem that could cost as much as one billion dollars. “This is going to have to be a multi-year task that we take on,” Sandifer said as he opened last night’s discussion. State Senator Thomas Alexander wondered aloud whether Governor Haley, staunch opponent of raising the state’s gas tax, may re-think her stance now that prices at the pump have dropped. County Councilman Joel Thrift said he can’t imagine how the state can begin to solve the problem without raising the tax, which hasn’t been raised since 1987. Another part of the considerations, Alexander said, should be allowing state government to divest onto local government responsibility for state roads less than a quarter of a mile in length—provided there’s a formula to help local government fund the maintenance.