Should the City and County of Greenville be consolidated?

[gman430]

I say yes and this reader agrees: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/opinion/2020/02/02/letter-time-to-merge-greenville-city-county-government/4610356002/

[motonenterprises]

Now this is a good topic and it's crossed my mind often. That's one way to get around the annexation issue and misleading population numbers. But it could also overinflate numbers. I assume the incorporated cities and towns in the county would stay as they are, with unincorporated being added to the city if that were to ever happen.

[GvilleSC]

County Council would, through elections, essentially become the governing body of the City. Yikes! Why would you want that? 

[motonenterprises]

23 minutes ago, GvilleSC said:

County Council would, through elections, essentially become the governing body of the City. Yikes! Why would you want that? 

Could be the other way around.

[Exile]

Now THAT inter-governmental negotiation would be very interesting to watch!

[GvilleSC]

35 minutes ago, motonenterprises said:

Could be the other way around.

Maybe, but I highly doubt the likes of Taylors, Five Forks, South Greenville, Berea, etc are all going to change their voting habits over night. 

[Den2Gvl]

This may be a different topic for a different thread... but thoughts on consolidating the sewer providers? I know it's been in the news recently also. 

[vicupstate]

Politically, I don't think you could ever get consolidation enacted here, at least in the next 30-40 years.  There are probably a few other counties that would succeed before we did.  You would probably have to greatly reduce the city property taxes first (which technically could be done with the Local Option Sales Tax).  

One  of the biggest 'what ifs' in SC history is the failed attempt to consolidate Charleston city-county in around 1970/71.  There was a referendum which failed but I think part of the reason was due to Charleston Mayor Palmer Gaillard running for Congress upon the death of Mendel Rivers.  I think  the thinking was that he would  run for mayor of the consolidated city-county as he was well known and liked.   Gaillard didn't win the congressional  seat, but the special election was amid all  of that. North Charleston had not incorporated yet (that came in '72), so it was probably the best opportunity for it to ever happen. 

I have an autobiography on Gaillard that I have never gotten around to reading, I will see what I can find out about it. it has been a long time since I researched it.       

  

[vicupstate]

I have always thought Cherokee-Gaffney would be a logical choice to accomplish consolidation first. Small land area, only one small town to accommodate beyond the county seat.  I think they actually have looked at it but never got to a referendum. 

Sumter County would be a good candidate as well for pretty much the same reasons.   Nearly 40% of  the county population is already in the city now. 

It would seem to me that  Charleston County could reduce their expenses significantly if they actively sought to get all the unincorporated areas annexed into the respective cities and towns.  There really isn't much left that isn't incorporated.  The Sheriffs deputies could basically just serve their Judicial duties (serving papers) and run the jail, and leave actually patrolling  and responding to crimes to  the cities.   

[cabelagent]

45 minutes ago, vicupstate said:

I have always thought Cherokee-Gaffney would be a logical choice to accomplish consolidation first. Small land area, only one small town to accommodate beyond the county seat.  I think they actually have looked at it but never got to a referendum. 

Sumter County would be a good candidate as well for pretty much the same reasons.   Nearly 40% of  the county population is already in the city now. 

It would seem to me that  Charleston County could reduce their expenses significantly if they actively sought to get all the unincorporated areas annexed into the respective cities and towns.  There really isn't much left that isn't incorporated.  The Sheriffs deputies could basically just serve their Judicial duties (serving papers) and run the jail, and leave actually patrolling  and responding to crimes to  the cities.   

How do wheels begin  moving & turning  toward consolidation?  Many meetings for sure...who leads the charge?

[vicupstate]

Usually an individual or two city or county council  members initiate the idea and maybe the C of C as well.  A study committee is usually formed and they propose something for the county to debate.   

[ausrutherford]

Consolidated the County and City does not make sense since roughly half the County is rural.

You will find that where Counties and Cities have been merged is where the entire county is urbanized.

 

Now...what does make sense is for the urbanized areas of the County and the City to merge into one entity and the rural parts split.

That could only happen if a growth boundary line where to be established that would not be allowed to be crossed with water and sewer.

[motonenterprises]

15 minutes ago, ausrutherford said:

Consolidated the County and City does not make sense since roughly half the County is rural.

You will find that where Counties and Cities have been merged is where the entire county is urbanized.

 

Now...what does make sense is for the urbanized areas of the County and the City to merge into one entity and the rural parts split.

That could only happen if a growth boundary line where to be established that would not be allowed to be crossed with water and sewer.

Most of the people in Greenville County live inside urban or suburban areas. The rural areas provide very little population. No different than Augusta-Richmond which is consolidated and Greenville County is about double it's population.

[apaladin]

Man I wonder how many times they would vote on this?