Clemson claims unconstitutional erosion of home rule

City of Clemson is enlisting the public to cry out to state lawmakers to ask them to vote against legislation. The city claims bills in both chambers of the legislature would amount to an unconstitutional erosion of home rule. The specific issue is taking away from municipalities the right to govern where small cell wireless facilities are placed. Among Clemson’s concerns: “…as currently written (the legislation,) new and modified poles can be as high as ten feet above the tallest existing pole in the same right of way or fifty feet above ground level whichever is greater.” Clemson believes state lawmakers are rushing the bills thru the House and the Senate. The city wants the public to lobby State Senator Alexander and Rep. Clary to vote against the bills. According to Clemson, towns and cities are also now powerless to pressure cable TV companies to provide better service. The passage of the South Carolina Competitive Cable Services Act means that if a local CATV customer has a complaint against his company, his recourse is to lodge the complaint with the state Department of Consumer Affairs. Clemson says it recently fielded a complaint from a customer about the quality of her service.