INDIA’S PLATFORM
Our Quality of Life in Oconee! That’s what this race is all about!
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Oconee County offers a unique quality of life that cannot be found anywhere else in South Carolina!
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We the people should protect those unique qualities and seek to positively impact the culture and direction of our county, because that’s the only way we can insure our Quality of Life for the future.
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My plan for doing this includes:
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County Council’s Duty
The duty of County Council is to provide the taxpayers with safe living conditions and quality government services. This includes well maintained and managed government facilities, properly maintained roads & bridges, responsive law enforcement, reliable fire protection and emergency services, and appropriate facilities for thriving community life, personal recreation, and enjoyment. From an overall perspective, I will work to make sure that all our citizens feel safe and comfortable in their daily routine of life.
County Council’s Focus
The focus of County Council should be on doing what’s best for the residents who live in our county today, and not using the taxpayers’ money to pave the way for future development. Oconee’s blessed with natural landscape and beauty that draws business from all sectors to our county: sports, tourism, recreation, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and a variety of service-related industries call Oconee County home. I will seek to maximize our natural resources to generate revenue, while minimizing the negative impact on infrastructure and educational resources. County Council SHOULD NOT USE TAXPAYER MONEY to entice businesses to move here. The county is already seeing problems with uncontrolled growth. We DO NOT WANT TO BECOME a “little Greenville”. I DO SUPPORT CONTROLLED RESIDENTIAL and LIMITED INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, but WILL NEVER AGREE TO FUND or BANKROLL ANY DEVELOPMENT WITH TAXPAYER MONEY.
Public Services
Great Public Services give taxpayers everyday peace of mind and a comfortable feeling of safety. Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS should be maintained at a high standard with adequate staffing and competitive salaries to keep and encourage retention of our First Responders. I will work with county public services and our local municipalities to insure the best possible Emergency Management Services are in place.
Taxes
Budgeting how tax dollars are spent is the most important function of County Council. Any unnecessary and burdensome spending should be eliminated. All spending should be legal, constitutional, and ethical. Every tax dollar spent should be scrutinized and all budgetary decisions made in plain view of the taxpayers. If there’s a question or discussion about spending taxpayer money (who, what, when, where, why, & how), then the citizens of Oconee County should be made aware and included in the process. I commit to making those discussions open, honest, and fully transparent with any taxpayer who wishes to attend. I will bring a commonsense approach to budgeting, so that the overall final budget is clear and can be understood by the average taxpayer.
Debt & Expensive Projects
I will not support any project that puts Oconee County further in debt! Expensive projects, especially those that only benefit taxpayers living in one section of the county, should be voted on by those taxpayers to gain approval and funding by a special tax assessment. If residents in District 2 receive no benefits from the project, then they should not be taxed to pay for the project. I WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST PUTTING OUR COUNTY $25MM MORE IN DEBT FOR SEWER EXPANSION! NO WAY!!
Infrastructure, Roads, & Bridges
Issues with county infrastructure are the most frequent topic for public comment at County Council meetings. I will redirect our tax dollars to maintain infrastructure that is already in place and make sure our spending focus is on county wide services that benefit ALL taxpayers equally. Many of our county roads are in poor condition. I will request a comprehensive road maintenance plan, to include an annual repaving schedule, that will put us on track to repair all our county roads and right of ways. There are approximately 157 miles of unpaved roads and 502 miles of paved roads in Oconee County. To get our county roads back in the proper condition, repair needs must be prioritized, with sufficient funding provided to get the job done.
Agriculture, Ranching, & Forestry
Oconee County has a rich agricultural heritage. Agribusiness should be strongly encouraged and protected within the county. Farming, ranching, and forestry continue to be strong contributors to our local economy. Oconee is first in the state for poultry and egg production, and second in the state for beef and cattle production. Agriculture provides a balance to offset more technical industries in the area, diversifies our cultural workforce requirements, and keeps the county in the food production business to meet the needs of a growing population. I will protect agriculture and our farmers, as well as encourage growth within the agribusiness sector.
Comprehensive Plan for the Future
In 2020, the people of Oconee County developed a Comprehensive Plan to serve as a guide for both conservation and future development. Hundreds of hours went into land use studies, planning, and taking taxpayer input into consideration. This plan was made by the people of Oconee, for the people of Oconee. I will push the County Council to strictly follow this outline when making decisions on all future growth within the County, because it provides guidance for development, while preserving the natural beauty and landscape of Oconee.
Fundamental Values
You and I are created in the image of God. Ultimately, we are accountable to Him for all aspects of our lives. God charged us with the responsibility to work and keep the land and His creation. I strive to live a life that pleases Him through Christ, and seek to display strong character, integrity, and mutual respect for others in all my dealings. We need less government, rules, and regulations on society. The people need to return to a level of self-governance through personal accountability to God. This is the only way to maintain strong communities and restore respectful interactions with our fellow man.
I choose to be a Republican because I share the conservative principles of the South Carolina GOP platform: The Right to Life, Religious Liberty, Low Taxes, Personal Responsibility, Traditional Values, Limited Constitutional Government, State Sovereignty, Personal Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Private Property, Strong National Defense & Secure Borders.
Personally, I have found that where a person comes from and how they were raised has more of an impact on their political beliefs than which party or group they choose to identify with. That’s why apolitical dialogue and debate on the issues is important to me, because then we can learn the true basis of another’s beliefs.
I would be honored to serve as your District 2 representative on County Council.
Blessings,
India
Copyright © 2024 by India Lancaster for County Council.