Advocacy Initiatives

Through an all-inclusive process involving hundreds of municipal officials, the Municipal Association of SC identified major challenges facing cities and towns in the state. The 2021 - 2022 Advocacy Initiatives represent solutions to challenges that can be addressed through changes to state law.
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The Municipal Association’s 2021-2022 advocacy initiatives include: 

Broadband expansion

  • Amending the newly adopted broadband expansion law to allow cities and towns to not only lay fiber, but also light the fiber or partner with a third party to light it.  

Enclave annexation

  • Allowing cities and towns to close doughnut holes, or enclaves, in their municipal limits through a local annexation process.  

Law enforcement reform

  • Supporting reform measures to aspects of law enforcement training and duties. 

Code enforcement

  • Requiring code enforcement liens be billed and collected similar to property taxes.  

Abandoned buildings tax credits 

  • Extending the current abandoned buildings tax credit until 2026 to allow for additional local economic development incentives.  

Local Government Fund

  • Supporting the Local Government Fund to be funded in accordance with current law.  

Firefighter Healthcare Benefit Plan

  • Supporting money to be included in the state budget to fund the Firefighter Healthcare Benefit Plan. 

PTSD funding

  • Supporting money to be included in the state budget to fund the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder programs for first responders. 

Zero millage

  • Allowing cities and towns with no property tax millage to impose a millage with certain limitations.  

Municipal Capital Projects Penny

  • Creating a Municipal Capital Projects penny tax for municipal residents to approve for capital projects within the city limits. 

 Expansion of naloxone

  •  Expanding the availability of naloxone, the medication used to revive individuals suffering from drug overdoses, to fire and emergency medical services first responders.  

Textiles Communities Revitalization Act

  • Amending the Textiles Communities Revitalization Act to include as one site those parts of abandoned mill properties that are separated by way of an intervening connector such as a railroad or waterway.