By Mayor Marcus A. McGirt
Mayor, Town of Latta, South Carolina
I want to raise serious concern regarding recent legislation introduced in the House that would shift the responsibility of maintaining state roads onto counties.
Communities like the Town of Latta, where I serve, simply cannot absorb this burden. In rural South Carolina, local government budgets are not structured to maintain state infrastructure. Transferring this responsibility would place an unsustainable strain on taxpayers and force difficult choices that could jeopardize essential local services.
This proposal highlights deeper funding and structural challenges within South Carolina’s transportation system. Our state maintains one of the largest networks of state-owned roads in the nation, and the cost of maintaining that system has outpaced available revenue. Addressing this imbalance requires a sustainable, statewide solution—not one that shifts costs to local governments that lack the resources to shoulder them, particularly in rural communities.
State roads should remain a state responsibility. Any long-term solution must strengthen—not weaken—our local communities. In my informed opinion, if this legislation passes, it will undermine the financial stability of local governments and disproportionately harm rural areas.
I have shared these concerns with both our State Representative and State Senator, and I remain confident in their commitment to protecting the interests of South Carolina as a whole while safeguarding the needs of local communities.
Local Governments—Now Is the Time to Speak Up
