Billy Smith
My name is Billy Smith, and I’m running for the District 7 seat on Fairfield County Council.
I’m from Winnsboro, and I’ve lived in Fairfield County almost my entire life. Over the years, I’ve seen the areas around Fairfield County move forward while Fairfield County has stagnated. I’ve seen the quality of life in other areas improve while ours has remained the same for so long. And after regularly attending County Council meetings over the past year and a half, I now have seen why. It’s time for a change, a positive change. About a month ago, I decided to run for County Council, and I’m offering that change.
For decades, our County has been plagued by a Council that is secretive and unresponsive to its citizens, is unwilling to plan strategically for our future, is uncooperative with other local governments and officials, and is seemingly clueless on the basic needs of our people. This is the sad reality of our County Council, and I want to help change this reality.
Think of all the money our County has received from the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, over $85 million in the past 10 years, and we have nothing to show for it. Soon, we’ll be receiving about $75 million a year from V.C. Summer, yet our Council has made no real move towards planning on what to do with this money when it comes. We also have the third highest property tax rate in the state, and nothing to show for that either. We must begin to plan strategically and focus on the long-term. Without any intelligent planning, we’ll never get the jobs, opportunities and quality of life that our citizens so desperately need and deserve. If we ever want to see progress and move away from being overtaxed and underserved, we need new Council members who are forward thinking and can bring fresh ideas to the table, and I’m offering this.
Some of our Council members have been on the grill lately for their selfish and unethical actions. We need Council members who are truly concerned about ways to help our County and its people, not themselves. I understand that the revenue Fairfield County brings in doesn’t belong to Council members – it belongs to the citizens; and I think there’s a reduction in salaries and perks in order for Council members also.
Our Council must begin addressing the issues of our young population. Our youth deserve better, top-notch recreational options and more summer and after-school opportunities to help them succeed later in life. This will not only help us recruit industry, but it will help us recruit higher-paying industry, and it will help us improve the lives of all of our citizens. However, if we continue to elect Council members like the ones we have in the past, we will never accomplish these things. If I’m elected to Council, I will see to it that our young population and their issues are addressed appropriately.
I want to help provide the positive change that Fairfield County needs, and I know I can. I realize that Fairfield County and its residents need and deserve more job options, a better quality of life and a lower tax burden, and I’m ready to work to make these things happen.
A few years ago, the Genesis Consulting Group of Columbia was commissioned to conduct a study on Fairfield County, and it said that we have an “Electorate that Maintains Status Quo and Elects Weak Leaders.” On Election Day, I hope you’ll vote to prove that we aren’t comfortable with the status quo and that we’re willing to work to change it. I ask for your vote in November and I promise that I’ll do my honest best to help find ways to fix our County’s problems and to ensure progress for our citizens.
I thank you for reading this and I look forward to working with you to change Fairfield County for the better. If you have any questions, concerns or would just like to share your thoughts on helping Fairfield County move forward, please visit my website at www.SmithForSeven.com or email me at [email protected].
Together, let’s Move Fairfield Forward!
