Fellow Clemson Neighbors!
My name is Scott Allison, and I am running for a seat on Clemson’s City Council in the upcoming November election. It would be an honor to earn your support and please be assured that I am committed to keeping Clemson the same amazing town it has always been!
First, some background about me. My wife of 40 years (Kelley) and I moved to Clemson full-time in January 2023 after building our forever home in Clemson Heights and previously owning a 2nd home here since 2017. My parents lived in this same neighborhood after moving from Atlanta when I was a freshman at Clemson. My brother and sister graduated from Daniel and even though I grew up in Atlanta, I have been coming back to Clemson every year for most of my adult life. My in-laws also lived in the Wescott neighborhood near Lowe’s for over 20 years. Kelley and I have three daughters, two of whom are 4th generation Clemson graduates, and 3 grandchildren who live in Charlotte.
My professional career has always been as a public finance banker. I have spent 40 years working primarily in Atlanta, New York, and Charlotte travelling the country and structuring loans and debt securities for municipalities, government agencies, state governments, higher education, and health care institutions. I have financed municipal utilities, airports, stadiums, cultural centers, solar power farms, nuclear projects, and just about any infrastructure asset owned or utilized by government.
I understand governmental financial matters and motivations and the fiscal challenges unique to Clemson – both to the City and the University. And I am certainly sympathetic to both sides of the growth and no-growth crowds. I will be a strong voice for residents who feel the City has succumbed to development. I see and hear this response from cities around the country. Clemson is not the only college town impacted by the growth of a large university. But the City is comparatively small, and has geographical limitations (lake, railroad, no bypass, University-owned land). These facts highlight the importance of smart management of growth in the future.
It is important for voters to understand my motivations for running for City Council:
- Strong desire to bring a fresh and thoughtful approach to drive smart growth within the City by promoting accountability and collaboration with the University, with local businesses, and with City leaders.
- I want to lead the Council in addressing the student housing crunch by utilizing my background in financing government and higher education. I will promote creative and real solutions that result in positive outcomes for City residents (push for on-campus housing).
- Introduce strategies and solutions to enhance City infrastructure and bring traffic relief and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists.
- Provide fiscal oversight and promote responsibility for spending your tax dollars.
Although there is a need for infrastructure improvements and to execute on other enhancements – bike paths, sidewalks, turn lanes, and other transportation improvements (CAT / Tiger Transit) – the biggest issue remains student housing. The University’s fiscal situation creates challenges, but I will utilize my professional background to propose real and creative housing solutions that benefit the City and its residents.
And finally, I am committed to being transparent and to communicate as much as practical with my fellow neighbors and residents. I truly believe that community outreach through all the City’s available tools must be utilized at full capacity to inform residents about issues that affect all of us.
Scott Allison
September 29, 2026