Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Local Government – An Introduction -- Question 6
I want everyone to answer this question. The last seven pages of the chapter cover a range of issues that local governments face in both South Carolina and across the country. Pick ONE that you think is most important and most interesting, briefly describe it and explain why you think it is of particular importance.
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13 comments:
I think that technology issue that the local government deals with is very interesting. Obviously, today’s society relies heavily on the computers. Just think we are taking an ONLINE class, which allows to never even step foot in a classroom. The geographical information system is used to help track what citizens need. There are many businesses that would be LOST if something happened to their computers. For most people, computers have become necessities rather than luxuries. However, the financial burden local governments’ face to get adequate revenue is a major problem. If you have ever visited a South Carolina legislator’s website, you would see the “contact so and so” and you would be able to email him/her just in seconds. The legislator then has your concerns right in his fingertips. Without this use of technology, getting a hold of a legislator would be extremely hard. Therefore, the use of computers and Internet has benefited our country greatly, but not at a cheap price.
Julie Kate Keeney
I think the issue about growth management and environmental protection is important. South Carolina’s population is growing causing the states natural resources to decrease and puts a strain on the government to accommodate more people. If too many people move to the state, the state’s resources are put in jeopardy. State forests will have to be cut down to make living space for more homes. Deforestation causes wildlife to be relocated which can cause problems for people. In addition to natural problems, more people in an area make the schools more crowded which hurt the children because they do not get any special attention. It can also cause an increase in violence in an area. A lot of people can not be crammed into an area and not be expected to have problems escalate out of control.
-Sarah Luckey
I think that technology and population are issues of the local government. In todyas world we are constantly having new babies and we rely heavily on the technologies to have these children. I believe that the technology that has come about in the last twenty-five years is incerdible and the problem with all these new technologies is that we sometimes use up natural resources that can't be replaced and as the population increases we loose valuable resources that can hurt us in the long run. Knowing that i have to choose one topic that interest me and that would have to be population. We are all important people in South Carolina, as we continue to gro and expand we are placing the state under great strees and that is hurting us as well.
I feel the technology is an important issue that local government have to face. With the technology we have today.It is amazing how we can get in contact with others to state our opinions and concerns to our government officials. The issue these local governments are dealing with is the fact that they have to have the funding to to be able to have these types of technology. So even though technology has been a great asset to our local government and our opinions and concerns it has also been very expensive.
Cequita D Edmond
One issue that I found interesting is the issue of growth management and environment protection. This issue is arising in South Carolina in the Coastal Counties, midlands, and upcountry counties. Increased growth is the result of development. While some people may think that growth is a good thing, it isn't always healthy on the environment. Oftentimes, sensitive environmental areas are destroyed, historical sites disappear, and beaches erode. There also may be an increase in pollution by cars and industrial businesses. This intersted me primarily because I've seen the results of growth in my county. I am from the low country. It is constantly growing. Schools are gettin overcrowded and businesses are moving everywhere. I went home last month and I almost didn't recognize my home town. There have been so many changes as a result of growth. This issue is extremely important because as growth increases, there is going to be more demands for the state and counties, whether it be for schools or environmental uses.
I was interested in the Growth Management & Environmental Protection issue mentioned in the chapter. South Carolina is growing tremendously in the past years and the book is right because of that growth we cannot provide for each other. Roads are horrible in cities that have grown in population too fast. Take Aiken for example, you cannot go on whiskey road anytime after 11am and that 5pm everyone just got off work traffic is horrible too. There are all cities that have this problem, especially on the coast when tourists are in the state. We cannot provide for ourselves much less other people visiting our state. Often times schools are over crowded also. Pollution, loss of SC history, and beach erosion are all produced due to the over populated state that we live in. Protecting our environment is something we need our government to do. The book does raise interesting questions whether or not the government should plan and regulate the population growth. I do not believe this is something that will take place ANY time soon.
-Kaycee Doying
Well the issue that I pick that is most important to me is growth management. I have been living in Aiken for the past 6 years and before that I was living in Lexington for 18 years. Now that I have moved back from Aiken to Lexington a lot has changed. What once was a nice forest like area where we had a play ground is no longer there anymore. The town of Lexington has changed since I have gone on to college. Now we have town homes in it’s place than a play ground. Wal-Mart, Target, and many more restaurants have been built in Lexington. Years ago Lexington was just the right size for our everyday living. Now I have to get used to traffic jam, leave my house 15 earlier then I was used to because of how busy the town of Lexington has gotten. The town council in Lexington has brought a lot more businesses to our area (including another Wal-mart that is 5 minutes from each other), patio homes and apartments. Its like every street in Lexington has some kind of construction going on. I used drive in Lexington by using landmarks and now I have to know the street that I’m driving on so I can make it back home. It’s unbelievable of how much has change in 5 to 6 years in Lexington. I went through the same change in Aiken my first year down there and it took some time to get use to it. The roads starts to get congested, schools are filling up and overcrowding, etc.
Randy Lucas
Issue on Demographic Changes and Influences:
I believe that this is a critical issue the state of S.C. has to deal with now and in the long run. The population of our state is changing: many baby boomers are getting older, the influx coming from other states, and the increasing Hispanic population. The native South Carolinians are going to have made some adjustment in lifestyle and the workings in our government system to provide the services needed. The issue with the older population will affect our health care system. The increased Hispanic population is creating a language barrier that effects schools, businesses, and lifestyle. The population influx is also going to effect racial issues in our state, a factor that has not been very popular with S.C. history. If the state can't find ways to accommodate the problem with the population change, then our government will be unstable. The old ways of S.C. will have to change in the long run to help the changing population and make the state be successful in the future. A untied state is strong, while a divided state will fall.
Xavier de Jesus
To me the most interesting and important issue is technology and local governments. Local governments have instituted many technological programs such as the shortest garbage route as mentioned in the reading. This new technology reduces wasteful spending in fuel. Many civil services functions have GPS in their vehicles to track employees and hold them accountable. Richland County, SC has placed AVL (Automated Vehicle Location) devices in its vehicles to provide efficient services. Secondly, the internet sales are on the rise and harming the economy of smaller cities. The “mom and pop” stores are unable to compete. It has a great effect on local government, because there is no real form if any on online sales. As the stores close the government loses money. I honestly believe local government should provide the best services to citizens, but GPS’s in public works vehicle is a little far fetch. I would understand the need for GPS’s in public safety vehicles. Also, local governments in a technology standpoint are trying to be better than the Jones.
DeQuawn Smith
The issue I have chosen as the most important and most interesting is the land use regulation issue. This issue deals with the right to privacy and the right to private property. This issue also deals with what the government can and cannot take away from someone without just compensation. It is a matter of the individual good or the common good of the people, which is the interest of the state. It is very important issue because it has an interest of the people and the state and local governments. Regulations that cause harm to individuals should have some sort of financial compensation, but there is legislation in the works around the country to help prevent this. So I believe this is important because as more and more people enter the state and settle in counties it will be important to see what happens to people’s private property.
Matt Spivey
I think technology is the most interesting. The internet and the World Wide Web has been an instrumental part of the upcoming election. Let's look at youtube. Politicians are using you tube and even myspace to campaign. I would have never thought that Presidential candidates would be on myspace of all places. Not only have you got text messages on updates from your favorite presidential candidates. I think technology has helped tremendously.
Erica Armour
One issue that local governments face in South Carolina is structural issues. Cities can not grow due to very strict annexation laws. There are high percentages of property owners who own equally high proportions of property values and this portion must agree before annexation reforms can take place. This problem make cities fail to expand properly and become surrounded by surburban communities. This makes it hard for cities to plan and deliver services. Businesses usually migrate outside city limits resulting in a decline of tax base.
This issue was important to me because annexation remains one of the states major problems. I have always saw additional suburban communties as an advantage because it meant growth for the city. I understand now that it does not always necessarily mean that.
COShendra Jackson
Wow! Many good comments. However, I would caution many of you to more carefully proof read what you write. For example, Affect with an A is generally a verb, but when one speaks of the impact that something has, the impact is an Effect, with an E, a noun!
Many of you had an interest in planning growth and controlling sprawl. Randy has observed how quickly things are changing as he has moved back and forth from Lexington. Come back to Aiken in 5 years to visit the university and you will see a very different landscape and a lot of new congestion with the new developments and the new SuperWalMart shopping center.
The attraction of retirees is driving a lot of this new development. With the boomers moving toward retirement, it will only accellerate. This increases demands on health care and other services, like ambulance service. While growth increases demands on schools, growth in the elderly who no longer have children in schools may DECREASE the willingness of voters to support schools financially.
As several of you implied, if everyone comes for the values of small town life, we may not have a small town anymore. Instead we will be just another maze of traffic jams.
The key, of course is planning, and that requires political will and local governments with the resources and skill to engage in planning. We will look at that later. Like Kaycee, I am not optimistic. I fear that South Carolina in 20 years will look like South Florida today.
But if we are to plan and control growth, a price will be paid in terms of lost control over ones property. Matt S is concerned with this price. Whether our culture more values individual control over ones own property or limiting property rights for the overall community good is a question that I will let all of think about for now.
Technology is another concern. Yes it is costly, but if we are to keep up with the rest of the world we must be willing to pay the cost. And as DeQuawn fears, some of the price can be lost personal freedom, like having your boss know where you are driving your company or public vehicle. We may soon have chips in all vehicles so that we can pay tolls based on what lane we drive in at what time of the day -- then government will always know where your car is!
Lost sales taxes from internet sales by firms that do not have a "nexus" (meaning location in the state)is another concern. Internet sales are rising and this certainly hurts local businesses and reduces the value of property taxes for state and local governments.
Xavier's comments about the changing ethnic make-up of the state are also important. What used to be a state of black/white conflicts is changing to a more complex set of conflicts with the influx of Hispanics and others who care little about the battles of the past. Maybe one day we can even resolve the controversy over where the battle flag should be flown! :)
Bob B
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