Politics & Government

Popular Richland councilman running for SC House

By Avery G. Wilks
FILE: Coach Ray Tanner, the City of Columbia and Richland County participate in a groundbreaking for new construction and renovations at Owens Field Park on Aug. 20, 2016. The project includes construction of a Miracle League Baseball field and boundless playground, renovations of ball fields, walkways, vehicular round-about and stormwater improvements. The project is a partnership between the City of Columbia, Richland County and the Ray Tanner Foundation. A Miracle League field is a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that allows children with mental and physical disabilities the opportunity to safely play baseball. Here, Richland County Councilman Seth Rose mentions the ADA compliant walking trail that the park will have when completed.
FILE: Coach Ray Tanner, the City of Columbia and Richland County participate in a groundbreaking for new construction and renovations at Owens Field Park on Aug. 20, 2016. The project includes construction of a Miracle League Baseball field and boundless playground, renovations of ball fields, walkways, vehicular round-about and stormwater improvements. The project is a partnership between the City of Columbia, Richland County and the Ray Tanner Foundation. A Miracle League field is a custom-designed, rubberized turf field that allows children with mental and physical disabilities the opportunity to safely play baseball. Here, Richland County Councilman Seth Rose mentions the ADA compliant walking trail that the park will have when completed. Rob Thompson rthompson@thestate.com
COLUMBIA

Richland County Councilman Seth Rose will attempt to jump to the S.C. House, he announced Tuesday.

And Rose already has a key endorsement: Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who says the Columbia attorney was a key addition to County Council and always supported law enforcement.

Rose will seek to succeed District 72 state Rep. James Smith, D-Richland, who last week said he will run for governor in 2018.

If elected, Democrat Rose told The State he will champion public education and jump headfirst into the legislative effort to find solutions for the V.C. Summer nuclear fiasco.

“We need to protect ratepayers from being made to pay for the mismanagement of the project,” Rose said.

After two terms on County Council, Rose said he also will push to give county elections offices more oversight by putting them under the control of the State Elections Commission.

He also wants to give county governments control of their recreation commissions. As angry Richland County residents learned last year, those boards are nominated by state lawmakers, paid for by county taxpayers and accountable to almost no one.

“Having served on County Council, I have a better understanding of how decisions made at the state level can negatively impact citizens at the local level,” Rose said.

Lott told The State he has been impressed with Rose since his first County Council campaign, when Rose fulfilled a promise to knock on every door in his future council district.

“That was so impressive,” Lott said. “A lot of people say they’re going to do things like that, but he really did it.”

Avery G. Wilks: 803-771-8362, @averygwilks

This story was originally published October 10, 2017 at 11:34 AM with the headline "Popular Richland councilman running for SC House."

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