The two South Carolinas

[Greenville]

Texas largest areas are great, but have you been to the rural areas? Some of them make rural SC look affluent. I find a much greater disparity in Texas than almost any state, simply because the urban areas have done EXTREMELY well and the rural areas are EXTREMELY poor. Nothing offsets that....tell a poor person in a Texas rural area it offsets it and see what they say.

[krazeeboi]

Back to Texas. They look "better" on paper because they have several very large metros that offset the rural poor. So in South Carolina, is the solution as simple as putting most of our money toward the big 3 metros (Greenville, Columbia, Charleston) in order to create more wealth and bring up the average income, decrease the unemployment rate, etc.?

[Captain Worley]

I ran across this sad comment while doing a random search online:

Chancellor James Moeser at UNC noted that he discovered, while provost of USC, that "South Carolina has a streak of anti-intellectualism that is regrettable."

[Spartan]

Back to Texas. They look "better" on paper because they have several very large metros that offset the rural poor. So in South Carolina, is the solution as simple as putting most of our money toward the big 3 metros (Greenville, Columbia, Charleston) in order to create more wealth and bring up the average income, decrease the unemployment rate, etc.?

[Charleston native]

This will never happen. Charleston looks down on Myrtle Beach as being tacky, and Myrtle Beach looks at Charleston as being irrelevant and jealous of its success. I think this example points out another issue about this matter. The ones that have it in SC are not interesting in helping to fix the problems of the have nots and the various regions of SC compete against each other. They cooperate to make the state as a whole better.

[krazeeboi]

Glad you have you back in the fray, CN!

[scoop]

SC's wealth and prosperity is centered in the upstate (especially G'ville/Spartanburg), Columbia, Charleston, and the coast. In most of the rest of the state, $8 an hour is considered "good money". Both amazing and disgusting at the same time.

With the influx of new residents from other states, I do see things improving, unfortunately, mainly in the areas mentioned above. The remainder of the state, especially the Pee Dee (with the exception of Florence proper), is rural, uneducated and lacks sufficent infrastructure. And having worked in backwoods Marion and Williamsburg counties, with payday loan shops on every corner, it's unlikely things will change any time soon.

Metro was correct in his entire analysis, especially the lack of large cities in SC. There's something about a major city that brings a sense of progressiveness to an area, and tends to trickle down to outlying areas. SC cities are nice, but they are not on the scale of Charlotte or Raleigh/Durham.

[Spartan]

Perhaps you should clarify what you mean. Florence is the heart of the Pee Dee without question.

[scoop]

Perhaps you should clarify what you mean. Florence is the heart of the Pee Dee without question.

[krazeeboi]

But I ask you this- will more money solve the problem? If we raise cigarette taxes, will it acutally go towards education? No. Some of it might, but there are way to many hands that want money from the pot.

[Charleston native]

As you and I have discussed in a previous thread, I think that Florence is part of the problem in the Pee Dee Region. Those of you living in Florence seem to think that Florence is Utopia and the rest of the region is just there. Got news for ya, Florence ain't all that. And won't be until the entire county of Florence gets their share wealth and resources...

[Captain Worley]

"In terms of the cigarette tax increase, Sanford wants to use it to slash taxes for the wealthy, while many in the Legislature want to use it toward healthcare, particularly for impoverished children."

^Going against my normal practice, I'm with the legislators on this one, and think Sanford's wrong.

[Charleston native]

More money going to the right places will help to tremendously solve the problem, IMO. That doesn't necessarily mean creating a new stream of revenue, but it does mean a wiser approach at appropriating what we already have...

[Captain Worley]

Many people period don't know how to manage money properly. Look at credit card debt.

[Charleston native]

^ Good point, but some states are better at it than others...just like some people actually function on their family budget and manage money better than others.

[scoop]

Hmmm...this is exactly the problem that we just talked about earlier. Many people in this state seem to think that every little town must have its own piece of the pie instead of allowing the central hub of the region to create synergy. Each town seems to think that its more important than another. Florence may not be a utopia, but considering its current status, it is the central hub of the Pee Dee region as pointed out earlier. Because of this, focusing on growth and development in Florence will create a synergy in the region that will eventually transfer to other towns in the region.

Look at Lexington, for instance. If it weren't for the growth of Cola, Lex would not be one of the fastest growing areas in the state. The same applies to Rock Hill and its relationship with Charlotte as well as suburbs of Chas like Mt. P and Summerville.

[Charleston native]

^ OK, I see your reasoning better now. Knowing this then, do you think it would be a good idea for the city and county to consolidate? Granted, the smaller towns might lose their identity, but the gains would be better...consolidation would make it highly improbable for these areas to get neglected.

[scoop]

^ OK, I see your reasoning better now. Knowing this then, do you think it would be a good idea for the city and county to consolidate? Granted, the smaller towns might lose their identity, but the gains would be better...consolidation would make it highly improbable for these areas to get neglected.

[krazeeboi]

"In terms of the cigarette tax increase, Sanford wants to use it to slash taxes for the wealthy, while many in the Legislature want to use it toward healthcare, particularly for impoverished children."

^Going against my normal practice, I'm with the legislators on this one, and think Sanford's wrong.

[Charleston native]

I agree with this as well, but that's why I like Sanford; he's cut from a different cloth and doesn't believe in wasteful spending. Government restructuring will go a long way in ensuring accoutability of several state agencies, particularly from a fiscal standpoint.

[Spartan]

Any clearer?

[krazeeboi]

I don't remember hearing anything about a 60 cent tax increase. I've only heard of the current plan to raise the tax from 7 cents to 37 cents per pack.