Editorial: Duvall the clear choice for Columbia City Council

HOWARD DUVALL is the clear choice for Columbia City Council in Tuesday’s at-large runoff election.

Mr. Duvall, the former executive director of the S.C. Municipal Association, has extensive experience in nearly all facets of leading a South Carolina city. We believe he would be a much-needed force for sound fiscal management in Columbia.

Unlike most modern politicians who preach fiscal responsibility, Mr. Duvall does not pledge to never raise taxes. “Municipal government is responsible for our quality of life,” and those services cost money, he said in a questionnaire sent by The State newspaper to all candidates.

But we believe voters can rest assured that if Mr. Duvall supports a tax increase, it would only be after pushing for efficiency in government.

We have no major concerns about Mr. Duvall’s opponent in the runoff. Andy Smith, the executive director of The Nickelodeon theater, has impressive views about managing Columbia’s future.

But we believe Mr. Duvall’s vast work in municipal and state government, combined with his experience managing municipal finances, would make him a more effective council member.

The candidates advanced to Tuesday’s runoff by finishing first and second in the Nov. 4 election. A runoff was required because no candidate received more than half of the votes cast. Mr. Duvall received 39 percent, and Mr. Smith received 26 percent in a field of six candidates.

Mr. Smith, 36, has worked at The Nickelodeon theater since 2007, serving as executive director since 2011. He touts the leadership he has shown with the organization as a key strength he would bring to the City Council. He specifically mentioned his experience in overseeing the theater’s move to 1607 Main St. in 2012 and with creating strategic plans for the organization.

We agree that Columbia desperately needs an effective strategic plan. We’re impressed by Mr. Smith’s thoughts about how Columbia should plan for its expected growth. He wants to increase the population density downtown, invest in a strong public transportation system and improve options for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Mr. Smith sees vibrant arts and culture opportunities as increasing a community’s quality of life. He vows to work to increase city funding for arts programs and to develop a cultural plan, which he says would generate more grant funding. In return, he would insist that arts organizations better use the tax funds they already receive.

Mr. Smith has been endorsed by Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, which Mr. Duvall says would make Mr. Smith an automatic yes vote for the mayor’s proposals. Mr. Smith disagrees. He and the mayor want to build a strong 21st century workforce in the city, he said, but they at times disagree about how best to do it.

While we are impressed by Mr. Smith’s ideas, we value Mr. Duvall’s experience as a former town councilman and mayor in Cheraw; as an executive assistant in former Gov. Dick Riley’s administration; as a member of the former state Tax Commission; and as executive director of the state Municipal Association for 16 years.

Mr. Duvall, 72, complains that the city has no long-range plan, although he offers fewer details than Mr. Smith about what the plan should include. He said he wants to increase the city’s focus on neighborhoods, specifically by improving safety and upgrading parks.

He complains about what he says is the City Council’s tendency to consider “pet” projects that come “out of the blue and are hurriedly evaluated.” We agree, and we believe Mr. Duvall would demand more careful consideration of such proposals.

Mr. Duvall worries about the financial challenges faced by the city. Besides a $750 million consent order with the federal Environmental Protection Agency involving the city sewer system, Columbia’s water system faces expensive repairs following last month’s flooding. We think Mr. Duvall would be a valuable asset in helping the city meet the challenges.

Both at-large candidates in Tuesday’s election have the potential to be effective City Council members. But Mr. Duvall’s experience makes him the stronger choice.

This story was originally published November 15, 2015 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Editorial: Duvall the clear choice for Columbia City Council."