Economic Development in South Carolina

[erm1981]

That beach property is high isnt it?

[Spartan]

^I notice that they don't inlcude Spartanburg. Interesting.

There is a good article in the Herald-Journal today about the maufacturing job loss in SC. Here's the link.

The article says we have lost 7,085 manufacturing jobs and 60 plants since September of 2005 and 53,000 manufacturing jobs since September 2001, dropping at an average rate of 3.5 percent per year.

Largest manufacturing cities:

Greenville - 458 plants {sodEmoji.|} 26,659 jobs

Columbia - 296 plants {sodEmoji.|} 26,659 jobs

Spartanburg - 263 plants {sodEmoji.|} 19,389 jobs

[krazeeboi]

You sure that job figure is identical for Greenville and Columbia?

[Spartan]

I doubt it, but thats what the paper put online.

its probably in the 20,000-21,000 range

[SimCity]

A recent issue of the business publication "Business Magazine Inc." has ranked Gov. Mark Sanford as the nation's worst when it comes to helping business. Is there any validity to this at all?

[803metlife]

A recent issue of the business publication "Business Magazine Inc." has ranked Gov. Mark Sanford as the nation's worst when it comes to helping business. Is there any validity to this at all?

He recieved the worst gov. out of all the states and worst when it comes to helping business???? . And for some strange reason I bet he'll be re-elected. The commerical he has playing in the midlands has to be the worst and misleading campain I've seen in my life.

Edited October 4, 2006 by 803metlife

[SimCity]

Hmmm, I've yet to see the commercial but I imagine it touts Mark Sanford's prowess in attracting and keeping businesses with high wages. As for re-election...it looks likely, at least imo.

[GvilleSC]

Here's some more good news:

Ford Motor Credit is expanding in Mauldin:

200 jobs for Mauldin

[SimCity]

That's really good news. I didn't realize that they had offices in the Greenville area or anywhere in the state for that matter.

Here's some more good news:

Ford Motor Credit is expanding in Mauldin:

200 jobs for Mauldin

[GvilleSC]

That's really good news. I didn't realize that they had offices in the Greenville area or anywhere in the state for that matter.

Me either!

[Greenville]

He recieved the worst gov. out of all the states and worst when it comes to helping business???? . And for some strange reason I bet he'll be re-elected. The commerical he has playing in the midlands has to be the worst and misleading campain I've seen in my life.

Are the other candidates doing anything to offer voters a better alternative? Do most voters even know what the issues are, and where the candidates stand on them? Probably not, and that is the first problem. They just vote for who has the best campaign sign, TV commercial, or simply go by whether they have an R or D next to their name.

For that matter, most people probably don't know much about what Sanford has or hasn't done, aside from what they might occasionally read in the newspaper (which, as we know, is rarely objective). They don't know about the good things he's done, the opportunities he's squandered, and the fact that our legislature in SC is too powerful. No governor, regardless of party affiliation, will be able to overcome a legislature that is against them. Not with the old fashioned way our state government is set up.

Edited October 5, 2006 by Greenville

[krazeeboi]

^Amen.

[whitehourseview]

I doubt if 75% of likely SC voters have heard of Sen. Tommy Moore.

Best guess at this point is that Gov. Sanford wins reelection by 10% or so.

[Captain Worley]

I think they should remove the D and the R from behind the candidates names, then get rid of the straight party option on the voting machines.

That would be a nice start.

[Spartan]

They will never get rid of the straight party buttons. Both Parties recognize that thisbutton probably gets them a lot of votes because of people who don't know all of the candidates.

I would be surprised of Tommy Moore wins, or somes close for that matter. Infact, I can't think of any Democrats at the state level that I'm seriously considering voting for. However, I may vote anti-incumbent for my state representatives because I think we need new blood in the state house.

^I generally agree with what Greenville said.^

[krazeeboi]

Has anyone been keeping up with the Spratt-Norman debate? It's pretty heated.

I'm voting for Spratt myself.

[Spartan]

No.... but I think Spratt will win the election regardless.

[monsoon]

Indeed. The GOP isn't even investing much money in this race as Norman seems to be a non-player. They are saving all their money for other races.

[krazeeboi]

I think Spratt overall has been presenting his case much better than Norman; that's from witnessing the debate in Rock Hill for myself. I'm not even sure I want Norman representing York County in Columbia.

Edited October 6, 2006 by krazeeboi

[monsoon]

Norman has been found, by the Charlotte Observer to be employing illegal aliens, while at the same time running adverts on TV accusing Spratt of being soft on illegals. Its on the front page of today's paper. It's interesting in the printed version of the paper, the title of the article is Illegal help on Norman project was changed to Candidate doesn't verify legality of workers.

[whitehourseview]

Norman has been found, by the Charlotte Observer to be employing illegal aliens, while at the same time running adverts on TV accusing Spratt of being soft on illegals. Its on the front page of today's paper. It's interesting in the printed version of the paper, the title of the article is Illegal help on Norman project was changed to Candidate doesn't verify legality of workers.

I would say both headlines would be accurate descriptions as from reading the articles, Norman doesn't actually hire the illegals, but a subcontractor does.

Sorta a lame attempt of a local news to play gotcha. It is nearly impossible for a building contractor to run background checks on his subcontractors employees these days.

He could stipulate in a contract, for instance, that his sub contractors to not employ illegals, but then he would find hardly any sub constractors willing to sign such a clause in a contract, for they usually don't run those kind of background checks on day laborers due to the costs and time involved.

Whole system is broken really.

I don't vote in the 5th district, but from my experience, it is trending like SC's 3rd district. Spratt will probably hold the office as long as he wants it, but the moment he retires it will end up like the 3rd district (the Savannah River district after Butler Derrick retired), where it is now a solidly GOP district.

If the GOP maintains control of the House, Spratt might retire in '08, as the years of being in the minority and not being able to chair a committee, which he would do if he were a member of the majority party, tend to wear down senior members after a while.

But yeah, Spratt should win in November, even though he looked a bit vulnerable late last year, early this year.

[GvilleSC]

Greenville's Innoventure is having an impact on the upstate. This article tells about a man who attended the event and is planning to start an upstate manufacturing company.

Here's the Greenville News article: Upstate Executive licenses Clemson Technology

"Local group plans to create new company, have big impact"

[krazeeboi]

Poly-America, a Texas-based plastics maker, will build a $100 million, 400-employee plant along Interstate 77 in Chester County, beating out Lexington County with a more generous incentives package.

[GvilleSC]

Here's a link to a story on the Greenville News' website:

Clemson chosen as engineering research site

This is a good vote of confidence for the University and good for the state. Who knows what could possibly result from this.

Edited October 10, 2006 by GvilleSC

[sonofaque86]

8,000 Homes are plained on a 6,000 acre site in Chester County, halfway between Charlotte and Columbia. They will be built within the next 20 years and it should have a $2 billion dollar impact on the county.

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/...ws/15746227.htm