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August 17, 2009 ● 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. ● Marriott at USC, Columbia (Back to top)
Economic Development: Develop a coordinated economic develop strategy focused on jobs, including strong statewide leadership from the South Carolina Department of Commerce and regional organizations. Increase access to jobs. Provide more meaningful cross sector collaboration. Achieve comprehensive tort reform. Work towards reorganization at South Carolina’s Executive level. Repeal Act 388 (property tax bill). Address point of sale issues related to property taxes, residential and commercial. Better market South Carolina products and the entire state. Remember that economic development includes tourism, agriculture and military presence in South Carolina. Incorporate all into statewide strategy with an integrated approach. Address business property taxes on personal property. Encourage leadership to examine levels of government service versus implementing across the board budget cuts. Address the ex-offender population’s need to get jobs, and encourage businesses to open their doors to them.  Healthcare: Increase state cigarette tax. Address South Carolina’s incidence of HIV and AIDS.		Education/Workforce Development: Increase high school graduation rates. Benchmark workforce development issues and skill sets. Groom high school students for green energy jobs. Support early childhood education initiatives. Re-implement physical education in schools. Address budget cuts to education funding, and examine more targeted cuts. Examine education funding reform. Rebuild the system. Implement statewide millage increase for education. Review public charter school funding. Address the high amount of paperwork teachers must complete. Increase teaching skill sets held by school administrators. Create a Department of Workforce this year.  Infrastructure: Increase highway funding for primary and secondary roads. Provide safe transportation. Energy/Environment: Monitor air quality related to transportation, etc. Invest in nuclear energy and realize it will enhance economic development in the state.
August 18, 2009 ● 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. ● BMW Zentrum, Greer (Back to top)
Economic Development: Repeal Act 388 Support workers’ compensation reform with AMA guidelines. Support tort reform. Support a governor who understands economic development. Support regional economic development efforts. Address problems with the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Increase government efficiency, and create a commission to achieve it. Address unemployment fund deficits to ensure businesses are not overly burdened in repaying the costs. Examine pre-paying into the system. Address debts new business owners incur when purchasing a new company. Use strong business executives as a recruiting tool to help sell South Carolina. Promote pro-business candidates. Energize the state to believe in small businesses. Consider legislative impact on tourism. Support regional cooperation between border states. Implement state measure to make South Carolina more competitive if federal healthcare reform does not. Healthcare: Provide healthcare reform. Address healthcare affordability. Address small businesses’ ability to provide healthcare coverage. Make it easier for insurance companies to participate in healthcare pooling. Support overall wellness and prevention in healthcare reform. Increase state cigarette tax to the Southeastern average to help small businesses provide coverage and address the uninsured. Define who is truly uninsurable versus those employees that choose to opt-out of reasonable plans. Establish guidelines, and define needs better. Implement state measure to make South Carolina more competitive if federal healthcare reform does not. Energy/Environment: Address rapidly rising energy costs. Create a master plan on sustainability and green energy. Examine water issues, and create a long range plan. Address nuclear energy needs and upgrades, and keep them efficient to maintain costs. Explore offshore wind energy development and provide incentives. Support restorative ecology, and increase incentives for the renovation of communities.		Education/Workforce Development: Support an educated, skilled workforce. Address across the board cuts to education funding. Support funding for technical colleges. Continue successes of Personal Pathways. Encourage business involvement. Examine inefficiencies in education. Support broadband technology throughout the state. Support education partnerships with businesses. Support quality childcare in the state. Support sufficient funding for workforce development efforts. Examine legislative regulations and the framework that limits research campuses. Benchmark with other states. Use the North Carolina Board of Governors as a benchmark for South Carolina. Support innovation in teaching. Oppose the top-down system in education. Turn some control over to districts. Support a state grant to provide virtual classrooms. Increase higher education attainment levels. Address budget cuts to higher education. Increase incentives to help people gain higher degrees (i.e. masters, doctorates, etc.) Allow students to move forward in public higher education programs. Infrastructure: Address the funding of highways, roads and bridges. Diversify funding. Increase the motor fuel user fee. Support a business voice on the South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) Board. Increase height restrictions to encourage green building in cities. Address infrastructure needs related to the port, including freight and rail. Use existing infrastructure (like empty buildings) instead of building new. Support an intermodal yard in the Upstate. Support widening I-85 to North Carolina. Support mass transit. Improve access to site certification funds.   Other: Support government restructuring with accountability and reasonable modifications. Support home rule. Address inefficiencies in special purpose districts.
August 20, 2009 ● 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. ● Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce, Aiken (Back to top)
Economic Development: Address unemployment fund shortfalls, and do not cripple businesses. Support a South Carolina Department of Commerce that is engaged. Support pro-business candidates for governor and promote them. Support a major capital bond bill.  Taxes: Repeal Act 388. Increase tax incentives for new businesses. Fix the state’s tax code. Repeal the point of sale tax. Healthcare: Support affordable healthcare insurance for small businesses. Address healthcare reform that does not cripple businesses. Energy/Environment: Address issues surrounding the Savannah River lock and dam. Address water issues with other states. Support traction with the state and the Savannah River national lab. Create an energy policy for South Carolina.		Education/Workforce Development: Support K-16 career exploration and development. Create a skilled workforce to support the nuclear industry. Focus on high-paying, high-skilled jobs. Improve higher education. Bring back manufacturing jobs that were lost in the state. Encourage incentives. Support the return on investment study as a foundation for higher education importance. Equip all students for jobs, and engage all levels of education and business. Address the depletion of skilled workers due to retirement. Help high school graduates move into the workforce. Upgrade the existing workforce. Maintain holistic view of education to create an immediate availability of skilled workers for businesses looking to locate in South Carolina. Support teaching soft skills in schools. Support business involvement in Personal Pathways to Success.  Infrastructure: Increase highway funding to address the state’s crumbling infrastructure. Address unnecessary and expensive government imposed design standards for projects. Address cosmetic needs for state roads.  Other: Clearly communicate what services, etc. are available for businesses and where people can get information. Address payday lending
August 25, 2009 ● 3:00 p.m.-4:30.m. ● Magnolia’s at 26th, Myrtle Beach(Back to top)
Economic Development: Support economic development as a team effort. Address the state’s unemployment rate. Address Department of Commerce leadership at the state level. Identify and support gubernatorial candidates that are economic driven. Address the impeachment of Governor Mark Sanford. Support recurring funding for tourism marketing. Support targeted allowances of gambling. Convince people that the Grand Strand is a great place to do business. Taxes: Repeal Act 388. Address the point-of-sale issue. Healthcare: Increase the state cigarette tax. Improve access to healthcare for citizens. Support electronic records for healthcare.		Education/Workforce Development: Increase funding for education. Support the importance of mentoring programs for Personal Pathways to Success. Address single parent households as it relates to early childhood education and literacy. Support a qualified, skilled workforce. Create job centers with a central location to help businesses. Add jobs component to South Carolina Business One-Stop. Support gubernatorial candidates that are pro-education. Address the unemployment compensation process and seasonal workers. Centralize workforce development efforts. Increase the productivity of public schools by supporting school choice. Support parental involvement in education. Support matching workers with available jobs. Utilize educated retirees as a volunteer base. Address the number of kids that end up in prison.  Infrastructure: Finish Hwy. 521 to I-95. Support the diversification of infrastructure funding. Make airport costs more affordable.
August 26, 2009 ● 12 noon - 1:30 p.m. ● City Club of Rock Hill (Back to top)
Economic Development: Revisit Act 388 (property tax reform bill). Provide comprehensive tax reform, and benchmark what other states are doing. Address the differences in business and residential tax payments. Provide link to small business programs available. Do not impose local spending caps at state level, and allow home rule. Address the 6 percent assessment and its effect on small businesses and the rental market. Provide better channel for federal stimulus funding to get to small businesses. Oppose the federal Employee Free Choice Act. Keep South Carolina from becoming a unionized state. Help get Charleston port on track. Support tourism as a statewide industry. Support agriculture as a center of the state’s economy. Address business license fee increases. Address point of sale assessments.  Healthcare: Address healthcare affordability. Increase state cigarette tax to the Southeastern average to help small businesses provide coverage and address the uninsured. Provide healthcare reform. Define who is truly uninsurable versus those employees that choose to opt-out of reasonable plans. Establish guidelines, and define needs better. Implement state measure to make South Carolina more competitive if federal healthcare reform does not.		Education/Workforce Development: Increase higher education funding for two and four-year institutions. Encourage state to not ignore growth in school districts.  Provide appropriate funding for all public education. Continue support of lottery funding. Use an increase in the motor fuel tax for education and economic development funding. Reevaluate distribution of Workforce Investment Act funding to be more competitive. Support appropriate funding for K-12 and higher education. Connect education to job development, and don’t leave four year institutions out of the conversation.  Infrastructure: Increase motor fuel tax, and allow funds to accrue. Provide funding for the State Infrastructure Bank. Support making highway exits a “gateway” for welcoming visitors to South Carolina.  Energy/Environment: Address environmental regulations and the federal cap-and-trade legislation’s potential damaging effects on businesses. Support nuclear energy. Address water resource issues, including those related to the Catawba River.  Other: Implement a state cell phone tax.
August 28, 2009 ●  9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. ● Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing Technology, Florence (Back to top)
Economic Development: Address state accommodation tax rankings (TMPP funds) that take dollars away from local festivals. Address South Carolina’s administration and its negative impact on economic development. Oppose federal “card check” legislation, and protect South Carolina’s right-to-work status. Repeal Act 388. Address the confederate flag issue.  Healthcare: Address negatives in federal healthcare reform bill. Increase South Carolina’s cigarette tax. Energy/Environment: Consider the adverse effects of ethanol. Immigration: Help businesses understand e-Verify and I-9 compliance regulations.		Education/Workforce Development: Create a skilled workforce for the future. Help address parental involvement in the education process. Encourage businesses to get involved in Personal Pathways through apprenticeships. Address the changing skill needs for employees. Restructure the Employment Security Commission. Encourage school facility enhancement, and support quality education facilities. Encourage “green” jobs to create a better workforce. Oppose budget cuts that are hurting education. Support consolidation of school districts.  Infrastructure: Address port restructuring, including stabilization, customer service and strategic planning. Increase funding for roads and bridges. Encourage completion of I-73. Consider toll roads to fund infrastructure needs.
September 1, 2009 ●  9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. ● Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, North Charleston (Back to top)
Economic Development: Increase incentives for South Carolina businesses. Provide good packages for companies like Boeing that are thinking of locating in South Carolina. Continue funding of tourism destination specific marketing. Encourage funding of an international tourism plan. Protect accommodations tax dollars. Address the lack of international flights from the state. Develop the state’s cruise industry, and update the cruise terminal. Encourage retirees to locate in South Carolina with strong products and services. Oppose the federal Employee Free Choice Act. Oppose the federal Consumer Finance Protection Act. Support increased film incentives. Taxes: Repeal Act 388. Support comprehensive tax reform. Encourage increased tax credits for donations to charities. Lower taxes on small businesses. Support a fair tax. Remove the $300 sales tax cap. Energy/Environment: Address inefficiencies and redundancies within the Dept. of Health and Environmental Control. Oppose the federal cap and trade legislation. Develop and implement nuclear energy. Support offshore drilling and the five-year federal leasing program. Remove the new stringent statute that addresses dissolved oxygen standards. Address the high content of mercury in fish. Address Charleston sewer system’s flooding in downtown. Support conservation as a part of an energy plan. Support wind energy. Encourage energy efficiency. Infrastructure: Increase funding for infrastructure, including the State Infrastructure Bank. Study and implement high speed rail. Support increased efficiencies in the port as the state’s economic engine. Support using stimulus dollars for shovel-ready projects that put people to work. Support completion of Hwy. 526.		Education/Workforce Development: Develop apprenticeship opportunities for students. Support higher education funding and a comprehensive plan. Address education issues as they are barrier to economic development. Improve school facilities, and provide equal access to empty buildings for charter schools. Lock-in lottery assistance dollars. Equalize funding for charter schools. Support school choice, including vouchers. Consider challenges for employees caring for aging loved ones.Develop apprenticeship opportunities for students. Support higher education funding and a comprehensive plan. Address education issues as they are barrier to economic development. Improve school facilities, and provide equal access to empty buildings for charter schools. Lock-in lottery assistance dollars. Equalize funding for charter schools. Support school choice, including vouchers. Consider challenges for employees caring for aging loved ones. Healthcare: Support health and wellness programs. Maintain South Carolina’s Medicaid match. Address the lack of Board-certified doctors to work with elderly patients. Create flexibility to address the backlog of mental health patients in hospitals, and address cuts. Consider Minnesota as a benchmark for healthcare reform. Consider partnering with neighboring states on healthcare. Support legislation to regulate home care. Support federal healthcare reform but not the current plan. Immigration: Pre-empt federal immigration standards. Other: Control state spending, and balance the budget. Impose term limits. Support transparency in legislative voting. Increase Get Out the Vote efforts for smaller elections. Promote cyber security.
September 1, 2009 ● 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ● Palmetto Electric Cooperative, Hardeeville (Back to top)
Economic Development: Support incentives for businesses that locate in South Carolina. Support a structured economic development strategy that does not penalize. Support film incentives. Address barriers in lending at the federal level. Support the military as an economic cluster to bring business to the state. Support tourism initiatives and more equitable tourism dollar returns. Study the impact of the retirement community on tourism.  Healthcare: Support legislation to provide regional allocation of nursing home beds. Address obesity levels in South Carolina. Taxes: Repeal Act 388. Address the point of sale’s negative impact on the housing market. Support a fair tax on the state and federal level. Extend the first time homebuyer tax credit. Support tax incentives for remodeling with green standards. Consider who pays for tax credits when deciding if they are justifiable. Immigration: Ensure guidelines for work visas do not change.		Education/Workforce Development: Provide incentives to prepare youth for jobs. Prepare South Carolina’s workforce for high-tech jobs. Support education as a state industry to attract students. Revamp the formula for returning education tax dollars to counties. Push for equitable education funding across the state. Support neighborhood schools.  Infrastructure: Increase funding for roads and bridges. Support the proposed Jasper port terminal. Remove blockades related to harbor dredging. Increase funding for dredging on the Intracoastal Waterway. Keep medians on roadways mowed. Improve current state parks, and support more of them.  Energy/Environment: Continue to oppose the federal cap and trade legislation. Address environmental concerns, including water management issues and pollution. Promote the building of bike paths and lanes. Protect state’s rivers for the future. Support resource based land agencies.  Other: Address duplicities in legislation regulating community association boards, and support manager licensing. Support affordable housing. Address condominium lending guidelines that do not apply across the board. Make states’ rights more effective. Address diminished home rule.
September 9, 2009 ● 10 a.m. – 12 noon ● TW Boon’s Restaurant, Greenwood
Economic Development: Repeal Act 388. Provide comprehensive tax reform. Address tort reform at the state and federal levels. Address point of sale provisions comprehensively. Support tourism as a statewide industry. Restore SCPRT funding. Support the state’s Heritage Corridor. Support tourism developing markets receiving their fair share in funding. Support safe cities and good schools to attract economic development. If state is going to impeach Governor Sanford, do it before January.  Healthcare: Address the rising cost of healthcare for small businesses. Increase the state cigarette tax. Oppose leaving the federal Medicaid match on the table each year. Address appropriate use of healthcare. Provide a state tax deduction for those who purchase long-term care. Simplify healthcare pooling legislation.  Infrastructure: Adequately fund roads and bridges. Ensure the port remains competitive. Institute legislation to give priority to South Carolina companies for state infrastructure projects.		Education/Workforce Development: Develop a skilled workforce. Provide affordability in education. Examine tuition rates. Encourage greater involvement from the business community in education. Provide parity in funding for education. Concentrate on the quality of our state’s workforce. Support technical colleges, and use imagination in funding. Provide a stable funding source for K-16. Realize that school class sizes are larger, budgets are less but requirements are the same. Provide fewer, clearer but higher standards in curriculum. Provide relevant incentive programs for education. Increase funding for the Dept. of Mental Health and Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs. Energy/Environment: Address the DHEC permitting process. Support increased nuclear energy. Voice issues surrounding the federal cap and trade legislation. Support a plan for offshore energy demands. Support offshore drilling. Restore funding to DHEC. Develop a comprehensive water plan for South Carolina. Address water permitting and quality issues. Support energy efficiency.  Other: Support information technology system upgrades. Make annexation laws easier. Examine the state’s criminal justice system. Provide state support for law enforcement.