Sen. Nikki Setzler, Mayor Tem Miles from the City of West Columbia, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and SC Rep. Micah Caskey spoke at a ceremony, Monday, before the unveiling of the Joe E. Taylor, Jr. Way sign on Meeting Street, where Sunset Boulevard ends. Former Gov. Mark Sanford, who Taylor served under, also attended the ceremony.

Taylor, a former SC Secretary of Commerce, worked out of offices on State Street in West Columbia. He developed office buildings and St. Anns Alley in West Columbia. Taylor was also a Columbia City Councilman when he died in December, after a fight against cancer.

Setzler said: Taylor was a “visionary” and a “change agent.” and “a man who saw things the rest of us never could see.” “He was a doer,” Setzler said. “He did things and he was passionate and relentless.”

Miles Tem: said Taylor did great work in the state and region as commerce secretary, but he had “more of an impact on a local scale.” Miles said Taylor “worked so hard to get us going over in West Columbia. “He worked to bridge the gap in our communities and I can’t think of a better stretch of road in this state to rename in honor of Joe Taylor.”

Miles said Taylor was a champion of development, redevelopment and revitalization. He also said Taylor took time with people, to develop people and pushed for change in systems and in government.

Rickenmann said Taylor believed we we were stronger as a region., working together. He said Taylor loved Columbia and West Columbia and was passionate in his work to promote both.

Caskey said Taylor was a bridge over a river that can help us grow together as a community and continue to advance.