Mayor Bob Coble and challengers Joe Azar and Kevin Fisher answered five questions. Like last week with the at-large city council candidates, we gave the mayoral candidates a little more than 24 hours to respond. Coble came through Tuesday afternoon (4:06, to be exact); Azar, Tuesday night; and Fisher, early Wednesday morning. No one was late. Next week we get back to the at-large city council candidates, but we also include the two district candidates, Sam Davis and Kirkman Finlay, both running without opposition. Next week will be the final five questions. Election Day is Tuesday, April 4.

Submitted to candidates

Here are five questions, each to be answered in less than 25 words. If the answer is more than 25 words, we will edit down to 25 words. Please get the answers back to me by noon, Wednesday, along with a full-body photo, preferably an action shot. We will publish the questions and your answers this week.

1.

a.) John Dooley, the city's director of utilities, stood before Columbia City Council last summer at a Broad River Road public meeting. He warned council and the public not to expect much improvement in the flood control conditions at Five Points once the street enhancements were finished. Come Thanksgiving the current project should be declared complete at a cost of more than $35 million. b.) When should the city go back to the drawing boards to resolve the remaining flood control issues at Five Points? c.) What is a reasonable budget to improve flood control at Five Points? d.) What if there is an April deluge before Election Day? Is that fair to the incumbent?

Azar: a.) The issue should have been addressed before the current project started. b.) Now. c.) As there have been so many surprises in the current project, it would be hard to establish a future cost without further investigation. d.) Yes.

Coble: The Harden Street project will improve the drainage in Five Points by increasing the number of catch basins and capacity along Harden Street. To resolve all of the flood control issues at Five Points will not require any more work in Five Points but will require fixing restrictions in the Rocky Branch Creek from Maxcy Gregg Park to the Congaree River. The city is working with DOT for a long range plan for Rocky Branch.

Fisher : Mr. Dooley is to be commended for his honesty, which points out the

shortsightedness of Mayor Coble and council. Nothing is being done to improve the single outflow for storm water from Five Points, so backups and flooding remain inevitable.

2.

According to Pat Mason's Carolina Living Magazine , a homeowner's property taxes for a $200,000 house in Columbia come to $2,061, while in Charleston a $200,000 owner-occupied house costs $1,619 in property taxes. A $600,000 house in Columbia is taxed for $7,659, and the same $600,000 in Charleston pays $4,857. Why is that? Compared with the Charlestonians, are we Columbians getting our money's worth?

Azar: I am not sure. The 2005 chart may not yet reflect our penny tax relief while Charleston's does. We need to eliminate property tax and go to a fee and sales tax based system.

Coble: It is impossible to compare taxes in one city versus another unless you know the millage rates for the county and school districts. Columbia has not raised taxes but once in the last 12 years. I believe our citizens are getting good value for their property taxes to the city.

Fisher : I don't know why, but would speculate it is related to USC and state government owning so much property that is tax exempt. Of course, both of those entities are huge economic engines for Columbia. To some extent, you have to take the bad with the good. We should work to minimize USC and state government "footprints" in future development.

3.

Get out the vote. In 1990, more than 14,000 Columbians voted in the mayoral election when challenger Coble defeated incumbent Adams in a runoff, and gadfly Ligon attracted 5% in the first round. In 2002, less than 9,000 voted in a somewhat lopsided race when name recognition was about the only game in town. How can we regain the missing 5,000 voters this time around?

Azar: Move the elections to the November general election. We would also save the city somewhere around $100,000.

Coble: I am working hard for every vote. I would encourage everyone to participate.

Fisher : That and more, I believe. Having a competitive mayor's race for the first time in 16 years is good for the city and will boost turnout. Our campaign is running an ad on this very subject, urging people to vote.

4.

Columbia City Hall, the building, was built about a hundred years ago as a combination courthouse and post office by the federal government. The original front door, once a grand entrance off Laurel Street, was covered decades ago in favor of a side-door entrance to a shoe-horned undersized elevator. The third-floor fire escapes, the emergency means to egress the public assemblies in council chambers, would likely have a tough time getting past a code check today in the construction permit process. Now that the City Annex has relocated to Washington Square and now that Main Street improvements are scheduled to come all the way to Laurel Street when the money can be found, is it time to think about a City Hall suitable for South Carolina's capital city? Want to compare West Columbia City Hall with Columbia City Hall?

Azar: Outside it is architecturally significant. Inside it is cramped, depressing, not handicapped accessible, and lacks adequate public parking. It would not hurt to move elsewhere, budget allowing, while ensuring the current building is preserved.

Coble: I believe that our city hall is adequate. The amount of money needed to build a new city hall or refurbish our current city hall could better be spent on other infrastructure projects.

Fisher : I would favor renovation of the current city hall over building a new one, due to both economic and historic considerations. In addition to restoring the original entrance, I would reinstall the beautiful arched windows, currently covered in the style of hurricane preparation.

5.

The SCANA bus system severance package was arguably a discount deal for its owners, the shareholders, particularly when the US Supreme Court decision of the 1930s is cited, an agreement recognized as binding for the life of the corporation and for the life of the city. SCANA unloaded the buses but kept the protected monopoly to distribute electricity and natural gas to Columbia's citizens. SCANA's master lease on Main Street is about to run out, and a move appears imminent. As a shareholder-owned corporation, SCANA could be taken over most any day now. a.) Should SCANA continue to benefit from "most favored corporate citizen" status? b.) Have you or your (advertising agency, electronics store, law firm) had business with SCANA? c.) Is that continuing?

Azar: a.) SCANA has been a good corporate citizen. It was not their fault city leaders negotiated a faulty agreement. They should be treated as fairly as others are. b.) No. c.) No.

Coble: I disagree with the premise of your question. The Midlands needs a modern bus system that can get people to work, the doctor, and other essential places. We have worked hard to achieve a decent transportation system. My firm does not do legal work for the company.

Fisher : Mayor Coble and council gave away the store in the SCE&G bus deal. If SCE&G wanted out of the deal, I would have required them to establish a $100 million trust fund to provide operating capital for the transit system. My company has never done business with SCE&G.