Originally Published on Wach FOX 57
People gathered in downtown Columbia for the first-ever South Carolina Forum community conversation, an effort aimed at identifying the issues residents say matter most to them and bringing those concerns into the policymaking process.
The South Carolina Forum launched online in February and has recorded more than 150,000 visits to its website, with more than 45,000 South Carolinians weighing in on the issues they consider most important.
Organizers said the forum has identified the top 25 issues, including growth and infrastructure, responsiveness from elected officials, rising costs such as utilities and taxes, and slow wage growth and work opportunities.
The Columbia event brought people together face to face to discuss concerns highlighted through the forum, including roads and infrastructure, cost of living, wages, and how residents want elected leaders to respond.
Organizers said the goal is to take people’s ideas and turn them into simple policy proposals at the State House.
Those proposals are then set to go to a three-day meeting in October, where randomly selected people will help turn them into possible legislation.
The process was designed to bring together South Carolinians across political and demographic lines to find common ground.
Participants with different views were encouraged to explain the reasons behind their opinions.
