Politics & Government
Dems: Haley Has 'Declared War on Poor and Rural South Carolina'
Press conference called on the heels of Department of Employment and Workforce announcing closure of offices.
NOTE: This story has been updated to include quotes from the governor's spokesperson and statistics regarding job announcements in rural counties.
A group of Democratic legislators blasted Gov. Nikki Haley on Tuesday for yesterday’s announcement that 16 S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) offices would be closing.
The announcement according the House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford (D-Richland), shows that Haley has declared “war on the poor, unemployed and those living in rural communities.”
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But Haley's spokesperson Rob Godfrey resisted that characterization: "Governor Haley has a war on unemployment," Godfrey said. "That's why our economy is roaring back and unemployment in our state has gone done to its lowest level in four years. Gov. Haley measures success by how many South Carolinians have jobs, not by how many unemployment offices we have."
According to Rutherford, residents in need of unemployment insurance or employment assistance in those areas will now have to travel up to 50 miles to receive those services without having access to public transportation. Those that have vehicles, they said, can ill afford to pay the extra gas mileage.
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The Democrats said the decision to close the DEW offices occurred in areas that need those services the most, since rural areas have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state.
That statement is largely true, as this map indicates.
The Democrats also said the decision comes in light of a request to increase the DEW’s administrative salaries by almost 60 percent and give Executive Director Abraham Turner a raise from $107,000 to $140,000.
Rutherford also said that the move will cause many people in the affected communities to not file for Unemployment Insurance, artificially driving down the unemployment rate. A lower unemployment rate is how many evaluate Haley’s performance. “It shows she’s in re-election mode,” Rutherford said.
Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D-Kershaw), oft-mentioned as a challenger to Haley in 2014, told Patch, ”All of (Haley’s) actions show a disregard for rural areas and that’s what matters, actions, not what she's said.”
In response, Haley's office released the following figures regarding job growth and the rural counties in South Carolina:
Announced - Press Release Date
Company Name
County
Announced - Investment in Press Release
Announced - Jobs in Press Release
1/15/2013
Swift Green Filters
Clarendon
$3,500,000
60
1/10/2013
Kiswire, Inc.
Newberry
$15,000,000
30
1/10/2013
Bericap USA
Cherokee
$29,000,000
50
12/18/2012
Albemarle Corporation
Orangeburg
$65,000,000
20
12/12/2012
Agru America, Inc
Georgetown
$19,200,000
49
12/12/2012
Agru America, Inc
Williamsburg
$19,900,000
77
12/11/2012
amFog Farms LLC
Jasper
$1,000,000
7
12/7/2012
SarlaFlex, Incorporated
Colleton
$13,800,000
100
12/5/2012
Royce Associates
Cherokee
$1,000,000
25
11/29/2012
Schaeffler Group USA Inc.
Chesterfield
$13,000,000
100
11/29/2012
Schaeffler Group USA Inc.
Chesterfield
$27,000,000
90
11/21/2012
Haddon House Food Products, Inc.
Chester
$3,100,000
100
11/20/2012
EnviraCarbon, Inc.
Hampton
$10,400,000
30
11/19/2012
Carolina Fabrication, Inc.
Abbeville
$500,000
35
10/25/2012
Domtar Paper Company, LLC
Marlboro
$30,000,000
0
10/15/2012
Pro Towels Etc.
Abbeville
$2,500,000
50
10/12/2012
Crescent Dairy & Beverages LLC
Colleton
$30,000,000
60
9/6/2012
BorgWarner Inc.
Oconee
30
8/28/2012
eCycling International SC, LLC
Allendale
$23,000,000
18
8/7/2012
Red Ventures
Lancaster
1000
8/2/2012
A.I.D. Company
Oconee
$7,000,000
75
8/1/2012
Mercom Corporation
Georgetown
$1,000,000
30
8/1/2012
Chester Wood Products LLC
Chester
$10,000,000
20
7/26/2012
ACE Bakery, LLC
Cherokee
$18,400,000
51
7/25/2012
Gonvarri Steel Services
Union
$50,000,000
65
7/9/2012
Tobul Accumulator, Inc.
Bamberg
$5,000,000
50
7/3/2012
Boral Stone Products
Chester
$6,000,000
3
5/22/2012
Federal-Mogul Corporation
Orangeburg
$7,000,000
40
5/2/2012
Carolina Canners, Inc.
Chesterfield
$20,800,000
10
4/12/2012
Diversified Plastics, Inc.
Dillon
$2,500,000
15
3/28/2012
LowCountry Biomass, LLC
Jasper
$16,000,000
26
3/15/2012
Rolled Alloys
Chester
$3,700,000
24
3/9/2012
Belk, Inc.
Union
$4,500,000
124
3/6/2012
Jones-Hamilton Co.
Chester
$29,000,000
15
3/1/2012
GSE Lining Technology
Williamsburg
$5,000,000
24
2/21/2012
Southern Paint & Powder Coating Inc.
Chesterfield
$845,000
13
2/16/2012
Martech Research
Lee
$4,650,000
60
2/8/2012
Ring Container Technologies
Chester
$7,890,000
18
1/10/2012
Crown Casting, Inc.
Greenwood
$16,000,000
50
12/22/2011
Climax Global Energy
Barnwell
$5,000,000
20
12/14/2011
SafeRack, LLC
Georgetown
$9,000,000
58
11/30/2011
A&K Textiles LLC
Barnwell
$150,000
120
11/22/2011
GKN Aerostructures North America
Orangeburg
$38,000,000
250
11/21/2011
Global Energy Franchise
Cherokee
200
11/17/2011
BASF Corporation
Oconee
$60,000,000
25
11/10/2011
Gestamp South Carolina, LLC
Union
$57,000,000
100
11/1/2011
Sasco Safety
Barnwell
$1,900,000
25
11/1/2011
Alucoil America Corp.
Clarendon
$5,000,000
18
10/25/2011
The Doc Depot, Inc.
Barnwell
$250,000
50
10/19/2011
NK Newlook
Barnwell
$5,000,000
212
10/6/2011
Continental Tire the Americas LLC
Lancaster
$2,866,000
80
10/6/2011
Continental Tire the Americas LLC
Lancaster
$1,134,000
0
10/5/2011
Universal Trade Solutions Inc. (UTS)
Orangeburg
$10,000,000
100
9/30/2011
Item Southeast
Greenwood
$1,500,000
10
9/29/2011
Dillon Furniture Manufacturing Co.
Dillon
$2,600,000
107
9/6/2011
Innovative Composites International Inc.
Orangeburg
$9,300,000
300
8/31/2011
5-STAR USA, Inc.
Marlboro
$25,000,000
1000
8/3/2011
Schaeffler Group USA Inc.
Chesterfield
$10,000,000
100
7/21/2011
Masonite International (Lifetime Doors)
Bamberg
$14,000,000
159
7/5/2011
Daniel Defense, Inc
Jasper
$5,300,000
100
6/14/2011
Elliott Sawmilling Company, Inc.
Hampton
$800,000
15
6/6/2011
Le Creuset of America Incorporated
Hampton
$3,600,000
25
4/28/2011
Textile Trends LLC
Union
$440,000
100
4/27/2011
ECAPS Corporation
Marlboro
$3,400,000
150
4/13/2011
ESAB Welding & Cutting Products
Union
$19,000,000
100
4/8/2011
Be Green Packaging LLC
Jasper
$7,300,000
175
4/5/2011
CollinsCraft Corporation
Oconee
20
3/16/2011
Guardian Industries Corp.
Chester
$45,000,000
50
3/16/2011
3V Incorporated
Georgetown
$15,000,000
30
3/2/2011
Boysen USA, LLC
Cherokee
$6,000,000
15
1/25/2011
Altera Polymers LLC
Oconee
$4,000,000
75
1/20/2011
Carolina AAC LLC
Marlboro
$16,000,000
36
Haley's office also noted the following:
Increased outputs in rural communities and with agribusiness projects (2011 + 2012)
More than 20 percent of South Carolina’s labor force lives in rural counties. Commerce’s emphasis on specific targets for rural communities has resulted in 5,700 new jobs recruited to rural areas, nearly 25% of the jobs announced.
Commerce hired an Agribusiness project manager to focus exclusively on recruiting jobs and investment related to agribusiness. This position was made possible through a partnership between S.C. Commerce, the S.C. Department of Agriculture and the S.C. Forestry Commission. Agribusiness projects makes up 12% of our current workload at S.C. Commerce. This compares favorably with the number of projects in the automotive, metal fabrication, plastics and office and headquarters sectors. Since January 2012, Commerce has closed 16 Agribusiness projects with a capital investment of $210,350,000 and 738 jobs.
Community Development Block Grant Program
Through the Community Development Block Grant program, Commerce awarded more than $43 million in grants to communities around the state for economic development, workforce development and infrastructure needs.
The Governor will host the 23rd annual Rural Summit in March 2013
The Governor and Commerce will host rural and economic development leaders from across South Carolina next month for the 23rd annual South Carolina Rural Summit, presenting a program that will challenge attendees to improve local communities. Rural community leaders, economic developers and state officials will share ideas, experiences and practical knowledge to improve rural South Carolina. Gov. Haley will give the keynote address and preside over the Rural Summit awards ceremony.
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