With Columbia City Council elections just months away, candidates are out in the communities. Three candidates were at the Melrose Heights meeting Monday, February 13. Daniel Coble and Jenny Isgett, running for the District 3 seat, and Robert Bolchoz, running for the at-large seat, entertained questions from the residents of the Melrose Heights neighborhood.

Residents asked about funding the bus system. Previously, SCE&G funded it, but these funds expired this year. In 2012 the City of Columbia is prepared to contribute $4.6 million to the bus system. One option was an increase of the sales tax by one penny that failed in the November election, leaving city officials looking for other options.

The current candidates believe that having a vibrant bus system is crucial to the future of Columbia, however each candidate has a different opinion about how to get it there.

Coble believes it is about funding and image. He says that it is going to take regional cooperation as well as implementing the penny sales tax.

Isgett believes that the penny sales tax is the best option as well. However, Bolchoz is not convinced that the penny sales tax needs to be implemented yet. He said he wants to see if there is funding currently in the budget that is not being used before he supports raising taxes or fees.

When asked about which committee each would join if elected, all candidates chose public safety, stating it is the most important part of the city.