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Columbia council candidate King touts her advocacy as Richland 1 board member | Opinion

I moved to Columbia over 30 years ago to attend graduate school at USC. I chose to stay to begin a career in the telecommunications and insurance technology industries, and later to start a family, due to the incredible quality of life and a belief that Columbia’s best days were ahead of it. And I’ve worked to make that vision a reality, for my family and yours.

When there was an unexpected vacancy on the Richland 1 School Board ten years ago, I stepped forward and ran with a focus on higher standards, fiscal responsibility, and transparency. During my tenure on the school board, I celebrated the successes of our students and educators while fighting for change in our most neglected schools. Sometimes championing fiscal accountability and transparency left me the odd woman out on the board. It wasn’t always easy, but I loved serving and I was always proud to put kids, parents, teachers, and taxpayers first. After I decided not to run for re-election, I was surprised and humbled to receive the Key to the City from Mayor Daniel Rickenmann in recognition of my decade of service.

Recently, my friend and councilman, Joe Taylor, sadly and unexpectedly passed away, and I again felt compelled to serve the community I love.

Columbia is a wonderful city and place to live; still, it is facing challenges in public safety, homelessness, and economic growth that are keeping it from reaching its full potential. Last year, our police department had 55 officer vacancies; this year, we have 80 open positions. City council must do more to increase pay and retention incentives for our police and firefighters.

Meanwhile, the homelessness crisis persists in our city center and is creeping into our neighborhoods and other commercial areas, including in District 4. The city’s first step of providing 50 temporary pallet shelters for the homeless is just that — a temporary first step. Long term solutions are needed.

While City Council has taken needed steps to cut red tape and promote growth, these actions alone cannot solve the problems we face. Until we fully fund public safety and truly address homelessness, pro-business reforms will only be superficial.

My opponent and I agree on some issues, such as the need to streamline city government and eliminate waste. However, I am the only candidate with a ten-year track record of holding government accountable and identifying wasteful spending in a budget twice the size of the City of Columbia’s. As a school board member, I was vocal about reckless spending, such as the “Jacket-gate” fiasco, the expensive galas, and pork-barrel contracts that diverted money from classrooms. I will be equally vigilant about your tax dollars when I am on City Council.

Standing up for what is right is not always popular, especially when it means disagreeing with friends and colleagues. My opponent is endorsed by the mayor but I believe that hand-picking a candidate to solidify a faction on City Council is not in the best interest of our city. I don’t want to return to the factionalism and dysfunction that marred Council during prior administrations.

City Council is a non-partisan body that should work together to enact the best ideas from across the city to solve problems. I support many of the recent initiatives of City Council, but we can and need to do better.

I have never stopped believing that Columbia is a great city and our best days are ahead of us. I believe in protecting our neighborhoods while promoting economic growth. I am not beholden to the mayor or any particular faction; my only obligation is to you, the voters. I have a record of rolling up my sleeves and speaking out when necessary. I will work to push our city forward.

Ms. King is a candidate in the Tuesday, March 28, special election for Columbia City Council District 4.