Limited government, a growing economy, and quality of life are three areas that Boiling Springs resident William Crawford intends to focus on if elected as chair of the Spartanburg County Council in the upcoming Nov. 3 election.
Crawford, who is seeking his first-ever elected office, is running mainly because “I believe Spartanburg County is at a turning point.”
“I see both the opportunities ahead of us and the pressures our residents face every day: traffic congestion, strain on infrastructure, rising costs, concerns about development, and the need for quality jobs and strong public safety,” he said. “My motivation comes from wanting to protect and strengthen this community for the next generation.”
Specifics include:
• Limited and Effective Local Government. The county’s voting populace has become dissatisfied with the forthrightness of its leadership, exemplified earlier this year with issue of data centers. Crawford said that in addition to putting taxpayer dollars to the best use and delivering core services that most directly affect people's everyday lives, he intends to put in place a governing body that is “efficient, transparent and accountable to the people.”
• A Growing and Diverse Economy. Spartanburg is already a leader in the state’s business economy by a wide margin: In just 2025 alone, OneSpartanburg, Inc., landed 20 economic development projects on behalf of the City and County, totaling $3.5 billion in capital investment – outpacing the combined county efforts of Greenville, Charleston, York, Union, and Cherokee.
And PowerUp Spartanburg has created a singular initiative to transform the area into the No. 1 place in the U.S. to start, run, and grow a small business.
“But our local government and elected officials should be setting the pace,” he said. “When it comes to economic development, we should focus on quality over quantity. We should pursue opportunities that create good jobs, strengthen our economy, and deliver lasting prosperity for the people who already call Spartanburg County home.”
• Quality of Life. As both the city and county grow in vital ways, Crawford believes many council members share the desire to review the current land use policy.
“Spartanburg County currently operates under a fragmented mix of land-use regulations involving the performance zoning ordinance and the unified land management ordinance,” he said. “I believe we need to complete the work of developing a clear, modern, countywide land-use ordinance, and become more intentional about where and how we grow. Striking a balance between respecting private property rights and keeping Spartanburg County recognizable for generations to come, I believe, is a must that needs to happen in 2027.”
When asked what he considers to be the biggest factor keeping Spartanburg County from realizing its full potential, Crawford said it re-establishing trust between county leaders and residents by way of open and candid communication.
“At a time when trust in institutions is low and misinformation can travel faster than factual information, local government must excel at communicating with residents,” he said. “That means listening to different viewpoints, gathering relevant information, acting with urgency when action is needed, and clearly explaining why decisions are made.”
