People will soon be heading to the polls to elect their next mayor and city councilmembers and WMBF News wants to make sure you’re prepared when you cast your ballot.

Early voting begins on Monday, Oct. 20, and ends Friday, Oct. 31, with Election Day being on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

WMBF News reached out to each Georgetown mayoral candidate and provided each one with the same five questions to give you a better idea of their positions and actions they will take if they become the city’s next mayor.

The City of Georgetown lives off its utilities.  Over the last four years, the city budget without utilities has grown by 24%.  The city budget with utilities has grown 46%. The amount homeowners pay has grown by over 50% in four years.  (See attached charts)

The City of Georgetown has suffered tremendous job loss over the last 2-5 years. Little has been done to replace these jobs leading to economic hardship on the working-class citizens of Georgetown.

The following pages outline my vision for bringing jobs back to Georgetown. I have been assisted by multiple experts in multiple fields to form this vision.

We can learn from our neighboring cities and benefit from their experiences.

Over the last 15+ years, our neighboring towns and cities have experienced exponential growth, which has significantly altered their landscapes. For example, Myrtle Beach has developed a tourism-driven economy but has become riddled with crime, which affects the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

On the other hand, Conway has taken proactive steps to address flooding by building a canal to carry away flood waters, showcasing a different approach to urban planning and environmental management.  The city of Georgetown is still using outdated technology.