There are many challenges facing our county and our state. Declining revenues and increasing needs will strain all of us and tough decisions will need to be made. I feel that my background in business and finance has prepared me to analyze the issues and arrive at decisions based on experience and sound judgment. Although there may be some difficult times ahead, the people of Cherokee County and South Carolina will be able to get through them, as they always have.
We must make sure that state government is efficient as possible. Every state expenditure should be analyzed and every state agency held accountable. On the financial side, I also advocate we have reserves set aside during times of prosperity. Just a few years ago, the state was enjoying prosperity and more than adequate state revenues. If more of that money had been put in reserve, today's cuts in state funding would not have been so severe.
I am committed to fully funding education in South Carolina as much as we possibly can, and supporting our state educators.
I will support Attorney General Wilson's crackdown on crime and sentencing.
