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Residents and advocates urge Sumter County to ease business-license restrictions for returning citizens
Summary
At a long public-comment period on Jan. 23, more than a dozen residents, reentry advocates and civil-rights leaders urged Sumter County Council to remove or amend business-license provisions they said block people with prior convictions from starting businesses; councilmembers agreed to continue reviewing the ordinance.
A steady stream of residents, legal advocates and community organizations told Sumter County Council on Jan. 23 that the county’s business-license ordinance can create an unnecessary barrier for people with past convictions who want to start businesses.
Councilman Carlton B. Washington opened the discussion and said he believes the ordinance is regressive and discriminatory, and he asked that specific sections be removed. Washington told council he presented petitions with about 600 signers asking for changes. Councilwoman Vivian Fleming McGhaney and Councilman Eugene R. Baten voiced support for reconsidering problem…
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