Upstate Republican Offers Comprehensive Strategy to Put South Carolina Back to Work

COLUMBIA, SC – U.S. Congressman Gresham Barrett, Republican candidate for Governor, today at a series of stops in Greenville, North Charleston and West Columbia announced his jobs plan to put South Carolina back to work. Currently, South Carolina’s unemployment rate stands at a record high 12.6%. Barrett’s plan, which is available at www.GreshamBarrett.com, takes a comprehensive approach to job creation that focuses on improving our state’s climate for commerce while aggressively recruiting new businesses.

“Twelve years ago South Carolina was a regional economic powerhouse,” said Barrett. “Record low unemployment of 2.4%, great development prospects and strong tax revenues made us the envy of the Southeast. That was then.

“Now, South Carolina is in its worst economic drought since the Great Depression. More than 270,000 of our state’s citizens are out of work. So today, I am offering this aggressive plan to put South Carolina back to work. Under our plan, we will take immediate action to fill the thousands of jobs currently available in South Carolina, overhaul the Department of Commerce, provide comprehensive tax and incentive reform, reduce discretionary spending, fight unfunded federal mandates and unfair labor laws, improve our infrastructure, make South Carolina a leader in energy independence, and promote tourism.”

Barrett added, “With a comprehensive approach to economic development, we can take South Carolina somewhere she has never been before; where our children graduate to take jobs in Greenville or Charleston – not Atlanta or Charlotte; where the next job is across the street – not across the country; where small business and entrepreneurs are the engines of job creation – not government; and where our success is only limited by our willingness to succeed.”

Barrett will continue his jobs tour in Aiken and Greenwood tomorrow.

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