Harvey Peeler

“No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child.”

Like this quote, State Sen. Majority Leader Harvey Peeler said he has always held fast in his political life to keeping his focus on helping children, elderly and the downtrodden in society who cannot help themselves.

Peeler received the Legislator of the Year award Tuesday in the Cherokee County Public Library from the South Carolina Association of Children’s Homes and Family Services. He is being honored for sponsoring an education bill of rights for foster children. It was signed into law by Gov. Mark Sanford on June 7.

Surrounded by his family and local lawmakers, Peeler said he was humbled and deeply appreciative to be honored with the award. “This is the easiest legislation I have ever been able to pass. The support was universal,” Peeler said. “When Judy Nix (from the Cherokee Children’s Home) called to ask if I would sponsor this bill, the answer was yes. On behalf of those who give love to children and those who receive it, I accept this award.”

South Carolina averages more than 5,000 children in foster care each month. Seventy percent are school-age children.
The South Carolina Association of Children’s Homes is a nonprofit organization which serves as an advocate in providing family services for abused and neglected children.

Peeler’s education bill of rights law requires school districts to assist with enrollment, school records and credit transfers for children in foster care who are starting a new school. The new law requires school districts excuse student absences for court-ordered appearances and treatment services for foster children.

A representative from the state Department of Social Services can now access school records of a child in foster care to monitor his or her education progress and help place a child in a new school.

South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Karen Floyd wrote a letter to commend Peeler for his work in sponsoring the bill. Floyd and her husband, Gordan, are the parents of adopted teenage boys.

“We’ve seen what kids go through as they transition from foster care to adoption. It’s one of the toughest situations a child can go through and the last thing these kids need is government getting in the way or making a tough situation even tougher,” Floyd wrote in her letter. “This bill shows exactly what compassionate conservatism means. We can help so many kids by removing restrictions and hard rules that punish them for situations way beyond their control.”

By Scott Powell, “The Gaffney Ledger”

GAFFNEY, S.C., Aug 18, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — AT&T* today announced the expansion of its third generation (3G) mobile broadband network at several cell sites across Upstate South Carolina, extending access for advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content to customers in Cherokee County. Beginning immediately, many residents in the area will be able to enjoy quicker speeds on America’s fastest mobile broadband network.

AT&T is an industry leader in delivering the benefits of mobile broadband networks, devices and applications. With the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T provides accelerated mobile data speeds and simultaneous voice and data capabilities for an amazing wireless voice and data experience.

“Bringing investment to Cherokee County and the Upstate has been a goal of mine since coming into office, so I am thrilled to see this investment,” said State Senator Harvey Peeler. “This advanced wireless technology will help stimulate additional investment and bring economic growth and jobs.”

The expansion of mobile broadband service is one of many ongoing network initiatives planned to enhance coverage and capacity across the country. AT&T recently upgraded 3G cell sites nationwide to High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2. These advancements, when combined with an ongoing initiative to increase the number of high-speed backhaul connections to cell sites, are a part of AT&T’s strategy to provide customers with an enhanced mobile broadband experience, both today and in the future.

“Whether businesses are looking to compete across the state, across the nation or across the world, they need access to broadband,” said Representative Steve Moss. “This announcement from AT&T demonstrates what can happen when public policy is forward-looking and creates a climate where businesses want to invest in new services and technologies.”

AT&T’s 3G mobile broadband network is based on the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) family of technologies that includes GSM and UMTS, the most widely used wireless network platforms in the world.

“Better connectivity is critical for the continued economic development of our community,” said Representative Dennis Moss. “Investments like this will serve business and consumers alike.”

AT&T has the best international coverage of any U.S. wireless provider, providing access to voice service in over 220 countries and data service in more than 195 countries. AT&T also offers voice and data roaming coverage on more than 135 major cruise ships, as well as 3G services in more than 120 countries.

“Demand for wireless bandwidth is growing, whether it’s for sharing video and photos with friends, checking the status of your investments through mobile banking, reviewing a client presentation, or listening to music on a phone, netbook or other mobile devices on the go,” said Pamela Lackey, president, AT&T South Carolina. “With this expansion, our customers can enjoy the nation’s best, most advanced mobile broadband experience with emerging devices and tens of thousands of mobile applications.”

For more information about AT&T’s 3G coverage in Cherokee County or anywhere in the United States, consumers can visit http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer. Using the online tool, AT&T customers can measure coverage quality from a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark. For updates on the AT&T wireless network, please visit www.att.com/networknews.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!t/quotes/nls/t (T 26.65, +0.20, +0.76%) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(R) and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE(R) magazine.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.Facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2010 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

Governor Sanford to Sign Bill Establishing 24-Hour Period before Abortions

Columbia, S.C. – August 17, 2010 – Gov. Mark Sanford will join state legislators and other advocates in Spartanburg tomorrow (Wednesday, August 18) to sign H.3245, a bill that establishes a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion can be administered. The bill signing will take place at the Carolina Pregnancy Center 10:00 a.m. (103 Metro Drive, Spartanburg). For more information or directions from your location, please contact Ben Fox in the Governor’s Office.

The following letter was written from SC Republican Party Chairman Karen Floyd and read at today’s ceremony where Senator Peeler was honored for his work for foster care children:

I’m sorry that I could not be there today, but I wanted you all to know how much I, as a mother and as the Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, appreciate Senator Harvey Peeler’s hard work.

You’ve all heard the phrase “compassionate conservatism.” I’ve known Harvey Peeler for over two decades and I know that term describes him perfectly. He truly cares about people and he knows that we must help those that cannot help themselves, especially our children.

For those of you who do not know, Gordan and I are the parents of two adopted teenage boys. We’ve seen what kids go through as they transition from foster care to adoption. It’s one of the toughest situations a child can go through and the last thing these kids need is government getting in the way or making a tough situation even tougher.

Senator Peeler realizes that sometimes the best thing government can do to help those in need is to simply get out of the way.  It’s much easier to when you don’t have to maneuver through needless red tape or mundane rules. This bill shows exactly what compassionate conservatism means. We can help so many kids by removing restrictions and hard
rules that punish them for situations way beyond their control.

Senator Peeler has a big heart only matched by a can do common sense attitude. That’s why he’s my friend and one of South Carolina’s best State Senators.

Harvey, congratulations on a very well deserved honor.

Your Friend,

Karen Floyd
Chairman
South Carolina Republican Party

The contrast in weather was as stark as the difference between the former and new YMCA facilities.

On a cold, blustery December morning, Cherokee County YMCA officials, local dignitaries and members, broke ground for the new facility.

Seven months later, many of those same people braved a sultry July morning to officially celebrate the opening of the new spacious family YMCA in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday.

“We went from one (temperature) extreme to the next and to a cramped building to the other extreme,” YMCA Chairman of the Board of Directors Sissy Brock told the gathering, some of whom attempted to keep somewhat cool by standing under an overhang or by fanning themselves with the official program. “After years of planning, now we see the dream of the county has come true.”

Brock then touched on the spiritual mission of the new YMCA.

“This is a safe and Christian place,” she said. “It’s for the wellness of the body, spirit and mind.”

In a light-hearted moment, Cherokee County YMCA Chief Operating Officer Mike Goforth glibly announced the exact year, month, day, minute and second from the conception of the new YMCA to its grand opening.

The new facility on Whelchel Road has 34,000 square feet of indoor space, plus a 16,000-square-foot water park. The old facility located on the Limestone College campus was about 17,000 square feet.

Though the new YMCA lacks an indoor pool, a standard-size basketball gymnasium and an expansive wellness center that includes a full range of cardio and weight training equipment more than makes up for it.

County residents apparently are in agreement. Goforth said he’s received 300 membership applications since the facility opened for business July 12.

Burnie Whitson, who represented the national YMCA organization at the ceremony, emphasized the Y’s importance to the community.

“This is a place of hope,” Whitson said. “From all ages, ethnic backgrounds and economic backgrounds, this is a place to grow and better a community.”

The final speaker, State Sen. Harvey Peeler, was in a celebratory mood, boldly claiming the county is now home to the newest and best YMCA.

He also stressed the Y’s role as a quality-oflife component in economic development and the need for county residents to financially support the YMCA.

After the ceremony, YMCA staff provided guided tours of the new facility.

By Larry Hilliard, “The Gaffney Ledger”

COLUMBIA — S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster could spend almost $700,000 in legal costs joining with other states to battle the federal government on the issues of Yucca Mountain, Arizona’s immigration law and this year’s federal health care reform act.

McMaster said the money is being well-spent, even at a time of severe budget shortfalls, and he believes the states will eventually succeed in each case.

“Somebody has got to stand up, so that’s what we’re doing,” he told The Greenville News.
Critics doubt any of the legal actions will succeed and say they are being waged at least in part for political reasons.

Sen. John Land, leader of the S.C. Senate Democrats, described the Arizona and federal health care actions as a “waste of time and money.”

“I think our attorney general has enough to do otherwise.” he said.

Larry Sabato, a political science professor who directs the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said almost all the attorneys general who have joined to fight the legal actions are Republicans at odds with the administration of President Obama.

“It’s perfectly within their purview,” he said of the lawsuits. “They’re permitted to do it. But of course there is a political and ideological motive. I’m not saying they don’t believe it. I’m not saying the suits aren’t justified. But of course there is a political motive.”

Professor Charles Fried of Harvard Law School, a former solicitor general under President Reagan, says the health care lawsuit is politically based.

“I do think the constitutional argument is a joke, not serious,” he said.

Sen. Larry Martin, a Pickens Republican who sits on the state Senate Judiciary Committee, disagrees that the lawsuits are motivated by politics.

“Those kinds of issues ultimately are ripe for the court to review and make a final determination,” he said.

McMaster, who once led the state’s Republican Party and was an unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate earlier this year, denied politics were involved in any of the lawsuits.

“We’ve had multiple efforts at the same time quite regularly,” he said of federal litigation.

The three issues that South Carolina has joined other states on are:

The federal health care reform act, nicknamed “Obamacare” by detractors, signed into law earlier this year. Among other provisions, the law would require the purchase of private health insurance. Those who fail to do so could face financial penalties.

McMaster joined his counterparts in 19 other states in filing a lawsuit to strike down the new law as unconstitutional, arguing the law violates states’ rights and forces states to spend too much. They also argue the U.S. Constitution doesn’t give Congress the right to force citizens to purchase anything.

The opening of Yucca Mountain, the proposed federal repository in Nevada for nuclear waste. The controversial site had already been the target of lawsuits before Obama took office and ordered officials to withdraw the federal government’s permit to use the site.

Aiken County, South Carolina and other states believe Yucca Mountain should be used for nuclear waste and have asked a federal appeals court to order the federal government to proceed with its permit.

The enactment of Arizona’s new immigration law, which among other things would require police there to check the legal status of immigrants while enforcing other laws.

The Obama administration asked a federal judge to halt enforcement of the new law, arguing it interfered with the federal government’s jurisdiction and could cause harassment of legal immigrants.

Nine states joined to ask the court to side with Arizona.

The judge ruled against Arizona last month, issuing a preliminary injunction against the new law’s most controversial provisions. The issue is due to be argued before an appeals court in November.

Experts are divided on the states’ chances.

Mark Hall, a professor of law at Wake Forest University and a national expert on the new law, said he doesn’t believe the states’ arguments are compelling.

“In my view, the prospects are slim,” he said.

“The main argument is the new federal law requires states to shoulder a large financial burden. And that simply is not factually true.

The federal government pays for most of the cost. And getting more people onto federally subsidized insurance would actually reduce the cost to the states and the communities for treating the uninsured.”

But Randy Barnett, a Georgetown Law School professor who teaches constitutional law, says a recent refusal by a federal judge to dismiss a similar lawsuit filed by Virginia means the states’ case will have to be taken seriously.

“This was a huge positive step toward a successful challenge,” he said.

“Much of what the judge said was very encouraging for the challengers, primarily because the judge said this was an unprecedented use of either the commerce or tax power.”

At the heart of the issue, he said, is an expansion of the government’s power, something that likely will be decided at the U.S. Supreme Court.

The 20 states involved in the case have hired a private law firm, but McMaster said South Carolina’s share of the legal costs won’t exceed $6,000.

Potentially more expensive, he said, is the Yucca Mountain litigation.

Lawmakers have authorized up to $665,000 to spend on the case, though McMaster doesn’t believe the final bill will total that much.

His office has hired a Columbia lawyer, Kenneth Woodington, who worked for three previous attorneys general, to handle the litigation, he said.

Gov. Mark Sanford has said without a depository, utility customers in South Carolina will continue to pay add-on fees on their bills that are designated to pay for the storage site.

In addition to 4,000 metric tons of spent fuel from the state’s seven nuclear reactors being temporarily stored in the state, South Carolina also is home to the federal government’s Savannah River Site near Aiken, a former production facility for nuclear weapons parts that is turning high-level radioactive waste into glass stored in canisters.

“This is an economic development question, a health and safety question, it’s an energy independence question and a national security question,” McMaster said.

Tom Clements, an environmentalist who for years has specialized in nuclear issues and is running as the Green Party candidate against U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, said Yucca Mountain’s storage as currently planned cannot handle all of the high-level waste at SRS and other U.S. Department of Energy facilities.

He and McMaster agree that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is likely to side with Obama in ruling on whether the government can pull its license application to operate Yucca.

“The Sun News”, by Tim Smith, August 16, 2010

Contrary to what some liberals in Washington might think, you can’t spend your way out of a recession. Take, for example, your average family.  Mortgages, car payments and other bills put strains on the family budget. Now, suppose the family income drops. There are decisions to make – hard ones. But one decision that doesn’t make any financial sense is borrowing more and spending more, because while that may make the present seem fine, the long-term outlook goes from bad to worse. You have to pay back your debts.

But that’s what they’ve been doing in D.C. The debt climbs and climbs from more spending that we simply cannot afford. Fortunately, in the states, the “laboratories of democracy,” the situation is a little different. Here in South Carolina, we’re constitutionally-bound to pass a balanced budget. In the Senate, conservative leaders have been working hard to develop common-sense solutions without the borrow-and-spend, or tax-and-spend methodology that is so popular along the Potomac. During the 2009-2010 legislative session, Senate Republicans made significant accomplishments to move South Carolina forward.

Last year, Senate leaders teamed up with the State Ports Authority to keep international shipping company Maersk from leaving Charleston. The contract between Maersk and the SPA was set to end this year, and the conventional wisdom held that South Carolina’s standing as a cargo hub was going into decline. Thankfully it didn’t happen that way, and Maersk agreed to renew its contract and keep South Carolina ports bustling, which keeps commerce flowing to every region of our state.

Let’s not forget about bringing Boeing to South Carolina. Having the 787 Dreamliner assembly facility in North Charleston means 12,000 new jobs and $787 million in new investment in our state. This is the sort of benefit reaped when a positive business environment is created and government helps business, not over-regulating and over-taxing it.

One way of creating that environment is also having a flexible workforce. South Carolina doesn’t need labor union bosses coming in here and strong-arming state workers like they would be able to do under a card-check law that has been debated in Congress. Now, an amendment to the state constitution is on the November ballot to protect our workers from intimidation and coercion. One reason Boeing came here is that back in Washington State the machinists’ union was causing the company no end of problems with wage disputes and work stoppages.  By approving the constitutional amendment in November, South Carolina can send a strong message to Congress and the Boeings of the world that we are the most business-friendly state in the U.S.A.

It’s more than just new business coming here; we’re attracting new technologies, too. We were able to work with Clemson and its Restoration Institute to bring in a wind turbine energy project that also means millions of dollars in investment and tens of thousands of new jobs. While laying the foundation for new jobs – and new revenue, without raising taxes or borrowing – more work had to be done to assist the unemployed.

It took the entire session, but reform of the former Employment Security Commission was a top priority for the Senate GOP majority. The situation didn’t seem right with the agency, and after senators called for an audit, the Legislative Audit Council came back with a damaging report that showed all we had feared and more. Now, though, the ESC does not exist, replaced by the state Department of Employment and Workforce. Ineffective bureaucracy has been cut out, and changes made to make sure that people who receive unemployment benefits genuinely deserve them. Also, the new department is focused on placing people in jobs, not only cutting checks.

Another needed reform effort was to tackle the South Carolina tax code. For decade upon decade, a lobby or a legislator with a particular interest would pursue a sales tax exemption for this or that, along with other creative tax breaks. Nobody likes paying taxes, but our system has to be simplified. That was the impetus to create the Taxation Realignment Commission, which recently came out with its preliminary recommendations. Many of these suggestions involve the repealing of sales tax exemptions, but it balances out. The proposals are revenue-neutral and actually reduce the overall tax burden on South Carolinians.

It’s not all about dollars and cents. It’s also about standing up for family, for life. We’re extremely proud of being able to pass the 24-hour abortion waiting period bill, which gives a mother time to seriously think about what she’s considering to do, and hopefully make the right decision and change her mind.

Finally, Senate Republicans are proud of our state, and proud of our self-governance without the overreaching hand of those in Washington. Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress have taken unprecedented steps to unconstitutionally meddle in state affairs. We pushed through the stalling tactics of Senate Democrats and passed a resolution that lets Obama and our Congressional leaders know that the 10th Amendment isn’t something that can be ignored.

The past session was a good one, but the work never ends. Our state will have budget trouble again next year, and there are a lot of other reforms that weren’t accomplished. We’re going to get back to work and keep fighting for conservative values in the Senate.

Sincerely,

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler

Barack Obama and the Democrats in Washington seem intent in having the federal government overstep its bounds. The most egregious example, not too long ago, was when Congress foisted a big-government health care bill on the American people. Across the country, people are tired of it. And now comes an activist federal judge stepping into Arizona’s state affairs and gutting its anti-illegal immigration law.

Here in South Carolina, the Senate is committed to both fighting the overreaching from D.C. and standing up for the rule of law by passing our own illegal immigration bill. Just three years ago the SC General Assembly passed what newspapers called “the toughest immigration law in the nation.” Unfortunately that plan was founded on federal immigration programs that Nancy Pelosi and her liberal regime have consistently threatened. Like failing to secure our borders, the federal government has dropped the ball on promise after promise.

That’s why State Senator Larry Grooms filed an Arizona style immigration plan in the Senate last year and why, yesterday, Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell vowed to continue the push for an Arizona model in our state when the legislature returns in January.

On the day the court decision was handed down, McConnell said, “We see today’s decision as only the first step in an important legal struggle. This ruling will not deter me from continuing to work on this issue. I am committed to continuing full steam to have a bill ready for the Senate and for us to pass a stronger Arizona style immigration bill when we return in January.”

State Senator Larry Grooms weighed in on the subject as well: “The number one responsibility of government is to protect its citizens. Because the federal government has failed miserably, the states took action to protect our borders,” Grooms says. “With yesterday’s decision the feds have failed us twice.”

Many of the talking heads are saying that the ruling will place a chill on state efforts to properly enforce immigration policy. As of right now, there are 17 states pursuing legislation in the Arizona mold. One judge’s ruling in violation of states’ rights won’t deter state legislators from making the right move.

“We’re still early in the innings of a major legal contest,” Sen. Larry Martin said in The Washington Post this morning.

The judge’s decision isn’t the end for common sense immigration reform. It’s the beginning. Will you stand with the Senate in its fight against illegal immigration, even if it means taking on the federal government too?

Please click here now and give us your thoughts on how our state legislature should best deal with the illegal immigration problem plaguing our state.

- South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus
Majority Leader Harvey Peeler

State Sen. Majority Leader Harvey Peeler will be honored Aug. 17 for his role in improving education access for foster children in South Carolina. Peeler will receive the “Legislator of the Year” award at 1 p.m. in the Cherokee County library from the South Carolina Association of Children’s Homes and Family Services. He is being honored for sponsoring an education bill of rights for foster children. It was approved by state lawmakers June 7. South Carolina averages more than 5,000 children in foster care each month. Seventy percent are school-age children. The South Carolina Association of Children’s Home is a nonprofit organization which serves as an advocate in providing family services for abused and neglected children.

“We are very pleased to recognize Harvey Peeler for his efforts to help with the enrollment of foster children in schools across the state,” said Judy Nix, past president of the association and Cherokee Children’s Home Development Director. “Foster children can change schools two or three times in a year. The new law will help provide better access for these children in the state’s education system.”

Peeler’s education bill of rights law requires school districts to assist with enrollment, school records and credit transfers for children in foster care who are starting a new school. The new law requires school districts excuse student absences for court-ordered appearances and treatment services for foster children. A representative from the state Department of Social Services can now access school records of a child in foster care to monitor his or her education process and help place a child in a new school.

“We have always had a good working relationship with the Cherokee County School system,” Nix said. “We have been able to secure a Title 1 tutor to work with these students. The new law will only strengthen our efforts to meet the education needs of children.”

When the South Carolina 118th General Assembly embarked upon its legislative year in January, it faced a daunting task: advancing the state and addressing some unavoidable issues, despite being overwhelmed with a rising statewide unemployment rate, an over $500 million dollar budget shortfall, highly publicized investigations into the travel of Gov. Mark Sanford, and an upcoming election season, including that for a new governor. One would expect that given this political environment, 2010 could have resulted in less-than-a-banner-year for the government and citizens of our state.

Despite those obstacles, the past six months at the Statehouse, from a pro-business perspective, actually have been quite productive. The answer may lie in the continuing dialogue and the stronger, ever-growing relationship between the Upstate business community and our elected leaders who represent us. From the perspective of the Upstate Chambers of Commerce, I believe we are building a better and stronger future for the Upstate, because of our commitment to building a better and stronger relationship between the primary stakeholders responsible for our area’s health and well-being.

Examples of this cooperative relationship from the 2010 legislative session include:

• The highly publicized, multi-partner, multi-tiered effort to land Southwest Airlines for the Upstate. After years of trying to capture the attention of a low-cost air carrier to provide better options and lower fares for businesses and citizens, Rep. Bill Wylie of Greenville introduced H4343 to provide incentives, in the form of competitive grants, for low-cost carriers considering location at any commercial airport in the state.

Armed with facts related to the “bleed” of passengers to other airports and detrimental effects of inadequate airfare options to the Upstate’s economic development pursuits, House Ways and Means Chair Dan Cooper and Rep. Brian White of Anderson joined hands with Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston to move the bill quickly through the House.

Though this legislation never reached a final verdict in the Senate, Upstate senators — led by Majority Leader Harvey Peeler of Cherokee and Chairman Mike Fair of Greenville, and backed by House leaders, local governments, the business and education community, and other allies — never gave up the fight. It was in this unprecedented display of teamwork and cooperation that Southwest officials recognized our commitment to the airline’s success in South Carolina and ultimately made its decision to locate in the state — without the legislation and incentive package.

• The preservation of the secret ballot in union elections. Spearheaded by Rep. Eric Bedingfield of Greenville and Sen. Peeler, the General Assembly passed a bill drafted in response to the business community’s concerns and as a further protection for South Carolina’s right-to-work status. Passed by the Legislature as a constitutional amendment, it will appear on the ballot for consideration by the general electorate in November elections.

• Legislation addressing unemployment and economic development issues. With the creation of the new Department of Employment and Workforce, legislators restructured the troubled and financially unstable Employment Security Commission. They also worked to make solvent the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund and helped pass a sweeping economic development bill to help agencies such as the Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC) and Upstate SC Alliance market the region and recruit new business for our community.

• Partnership between Upstate Legislative Caucus and Upstate Chamber Coalition. Though both in their infancy stages, the groups are working in tandem toward the creation of jobs and raising our overall per capita income. The Upstate Chamber Coalition, a consortium of 10 local Chambers of Commerce representing 8,000 member businesses and more than 200,000 employees, is serving to give the Upstate business community a unified voice in public policy and legislative issues that impact our region’s business climate.

By the same token, the Upstate Legislative Caucus, led by Greenville Rep. Dan Hamilton, is comprised of both House and Senate members whose districts lie in the Upstate and who represent around one-third of the total General Assembly. It, too, carries the unified message of the Upstate through legislators who are committed to playing a bigger role in crafting pro-business legislation. The symbiotic relationship of these two important groups will mean the difference in the betterment of the Upstate as the premier place to live, work, and play.

Indeed, the last six months at the Statehouse have been challenging ones, particularly for those lawmakers writing the state budget and for those agencies dependent on state funding. Unfortunately, next year’s budget forecasts do not bode well for 2011, signally one of the most challenging years yet.

However, in the can-do spirit of cooperation and communication, and absolute commitment to solving our problems together, the Upstate business community and our legislative delegation have locked arms and shown that tough economic times do not necessarily mean stagnation. By working together as one unified Upstate, we will demonstrate, as this year, that we can and will make South Carolina the best place in the world to do business.

By Mark Cothran • June 26, 2010
“Greenville Online”