By Jade Anderson
April 29, 2010
http://www.theitem.com/news/article_43f101c4-4bb7-5145-9ffc-fda99876623e.html
Gresham Barrett says his “Putting South Carolina Back to Work” tour is all about bringing more jobs to South Carolina, but the 49-year-old Republican candidate for governor is also concerned about education and strengthening the governor’s office.
He spoke to about a dozen people Wednesday afternoon at Logan’s Roadhouse.
Barrett wants to improve ports in Charleston, Georgetown and Jasper.
“One out of 10 jobs are related to ports,” Barrett said. “That’s a $40 billion impact on the economy.”
From day one, he said, the person in charge of the Commerce Department should be hired on a performance-based contract. Barrett added that he wants an incentive-driven sales force.
“We need to update our incentive package to be competitive with Alabama and Tennessee,” the candidate said.
Robert Hughes, the field director for Barrett’s campaign, explained that Barrett thinks the Commerce Department leader’s responsibility is to bring jobs to South Carolina. Barrett wants a nationwide search to find the best candidate to sell the state to potential employers.
As for education, Barrett said he knows “there is no silver bullet.” One thing, though, is to get back to the basics such as reading, he said.
“The heart of the matter is to get students reading on or above grade level by third grade,” Barrett said. “That’s the magic grade. If you lose a child by third grade, you’ve lost him forever.”
Barrett’s wife, Natalie, is a first-grade teacher in the Oconee County public school system who works with a reading recovery program.
“My wife said there is nothing like seeing the light come on in children’s eyes when they learn to read,” the candidate said.
She is taking this year off to travel with her husband.
Barrett also said he wants to see education money navigate the “bureaucratic maze” and get to the classrooms “where it is desperately needed.”
“We have 46 counties, 85 school districts and 64 funding sources in South Carolina,” Barrett said. “Fourty-four cents makes it to the classroom in our state. The national average is 65 cents.”
Hughes said Barrett is a huge fan of school choice and is a proponent of tution tax credits.
“One size does not fit for all students,” Barrett said. “Parents should be able to send their child where they want.”
Barrett’s own children have been home-schooled and attended private school and public high school, he said.
“The key to a good school is good parental involvement,” the candidate said.
Barrett wants to address the state’s spending problem by passing a statutory cap that would limit the government’s growth to the same rate as the economic growth per year. “I think small business experience should be a prerequisite for any elected official, from a dog catcher in Sumter County to the governor,” Barrett said. “It makes you a better legislator because it makes you more aware of the bottom line.”
Barrett said the nation can be changed one state at a time, starting with South Carolina.
“Having served the last seven-and-a-half years in Washington, I can tell you the answers to the nation’s problems are not going to be answered in Washington,” Barrett said. “It’s time we had the governor stand up and take our state back. It’s time to be self-sufficient in South Carolina. If we can do it in South Carolina, we can do it anywhere.”
Retired Air Force Col. Bob Harvey said he was skeptical of Barrett at first, as many are with any politician these days, but he left with a favorable impression.
“I think it will go very well for South Carolina if he is governor,” Harvey said. “I appreciate that his wife is a teacher. I think that will help. I like the idea of a law that says (the state government) can’t spend more than it takes in.”
Bob Reagan, a member of the Sumter School District 2 Board of Trustees, also expressed support for Barrett.
“I think (his visit) went well,” Reagan said. “Everyone asked a lot of good questions, and the congressman gave good, precise answers. I think he is the man we need to be governor of South Carolina.”
Frank Waggoner is still looking at a few other candidates, but he said he is pleased with Barrett.
“He answered my questions favorably and gives a good indication that he understands the economic situation,” Waggoner said.
