Charleston County Council Interviews Larry Kobrovsky
Q: HOW DO YOUR EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF DISTRICT 2 DIFFER FROM YOUR OPPONENT?
Larry:
I’ve lived in and raised my family in East Cooper for over 40 years. My wife Susan is from McClellanville, and we have lived together in Mount Pleasant, on Isle of Palms, and on Sullivan's Island. Our 5 grandchildren all live in Mount Pleasant and will be going to school here just like their mothers did. I have directly experienced the challenges we all face with property taxes, traffic congestion, and poorly managed growth. I am ready to immediately bring fresh solutions to county council. I have met my opponent, and he is a nice man, but county council members need to rely on their personal knowledge and life experiences within the area they represent to make key decisions. I think it would be difficult for anyone who so recently moved here from New Jersey to make informed East Cooper decisions based on such limited local experiences.
Q: WHY IS TRANSPARENCY AN IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC OF GOOD GOVERNMENT?
Larry:
Charleston County has had several financial blunders over the last couple of decades primarily because county council leadership has tried to play developer. The Naval Hospital boondoggle is the best example. The Naval Hospital negotiations were not aired in the public realm, which would have allowed public scrutiny. The final result was a $36M legal judgment against the county, none of which was the burden of the county leaders doing the dealmaking, but all of which was the burden for the taxpayers
Q: WHY DO YOU KEEP EMPHASIZING PROPERTY TAXES AS AN ISSUE FOR CITIZENS IN DISTRICT 2?
Larry:
Property taxes uniquely target a personal family asset – the largest financial asset for most citizens – with a perpetual cost burden, and the burden does not always reflect the owner’s ability to pay, especially for retired seniors on fixed incomes. Homes of hardworking citizens should not be forced into sale due to unaffordable property tax burdens.
Q: WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAFFIC ISSUES WITHIN DISTRICT 2?
Larry:
The two most important traffic congestion challenges in District 2 are improvements to the Highway 17/41 intersection and beach traffic management. The 17/41 project is technically a Highway 41 corridor improvement project, but for the citizens of District 2, the intersection of Highway 17/41 will have huge implications. This project – currently in the final design phases – is a once in a half century opportunity to make a traffic flow difference on Highway 17. Beach traffic is a legacy problem that only worsens as the regional population grows. I will push forward a program to study and implement traffic flow management strategies similar to those implemented for hurricane evacuations and college football games.
Q: ARE THERE OTHER TRAFFIC CONSIDERATIONS IN DISTRICT 2?
Larry:
Yes, there are many. One significant opportunity for District 2 is the management of urban sprawl that is pushing to the north along Highway 17 into the Awendaw and McClellanville regions. Sprawl in that area could pose the greatest traffic challenge for our next generation as it will overwhelm the Highway 17 corridor through Mount Pleasant. We need to take action now to coordinate managed growth in that region while also preserving the rural landscapes and resources that we too often take for granted.
Media Coverage
Larry Kobrovsky is constantly receiving media coverage for all that he is doing to improve political reform and the lives of all who inhabit the Lowcountry. Here you will find all of the most recent press updates surrounding Larry and all of the initiatives he is fighting for.
