Watch: Businesses Urge Senate to Pass Roads Bill
Columbia , S.C. (WOLO) — Inside the Senate chamber, lawmakers continued to delay a vote on a bill to fix the state’s crumbling roads while on the first floor of the state house, several business organizations called on the Senate to take action.
“You don’t need a sign to tell you are in South Carolina, the minute your tires hit the road you know you’re in South Carolina,” said Cathy Novinger, Palmetto AgriBusiness Council. “There’s not a question about that, we don’t compare with our surrounding states and our infrastructure.”
The group of organizations is pushing for the senate to pass a long-term, comprehensive roads bill that includes a recurring source of money to improve roads and bridges.
“It’s time we stop the arguments and go ahead and fix these roads,” said Steve Phillips, AAA Carolinas.
Several business leaders cited the economic impact poor roads have on the state.
“We’re frustrated because we can not get our goods and services to our businesses on time, it’s costing us hundreds of millions of dollars in idle time sitting on our interstates and on our secondary roads as we try to move goods and services,” said Ottis Rawl, Lexington Chamber of Commerce.
The bill is currently being stalled because several lawmakers are against the 12 cent tax increase.
The senate will be back in session on Wednesday to continue discussing the bill.
