February 5, 2010

Setzler Joins New Carolina: South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness

COLUMBIA, S.C. - State Senator Nikki Setzler is joining a select group of business and civic leaders seeking to create well-paying jobs in the state while positioning South Carolina as a major competitor in the global economy.

Setzler joins the leadership of New Carolina: South Carolina's Council on Competitiveness. New Carolina is a nonprofit, public-private partnership that seeks to raise the state's standard of living while strengthening the framework of its economy. Setzler was appointed to the organization by Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn F. McConnell.

"I am excited about being a part of a distinguished group committed to bringing a 21^st Century approach to job creation and development to our state," Setzler said. "South Carolina has to be able to compete for jobs nationally and internationally. New Carolina and I are committed to making the state a global competitor in the new economy."

New Carolina works to enhance the state's economic standing by promoting a "cluster development strategy." That is, New Carolina promotes regional partnerships within related industry and academic institutions as well as among elected leaders and economic development officials.

Clusters allow industry and academic institutions to draw upon their proximity and shared connections to spur development within the region. The cluster development strategy also helps facilitate the use of technology and innovation within education and industry to grow the economy.

As a tool, clusters can help identify the strengths and weaknesses of a particular region and determine ways to improve economic conditions. New Carolina began to take shape in 2003 when government, business, academic and other officials gathered to help improve the state's economic condition.

Setzler is a long-time advocate of using technology and innovation - whether on the job or in the classroom - to improve our standard of living, develop a skilled workforce, increase efficiency and fuel economic prosperity.

Representing Aiken, Lexington and Saluda counties, Setzler serves on several Senate committees, including the Senate Finance Committee where he advocates for public schools and increased efficiency in government.

For more information about New Carolina, visit www.newcarolina.org .

January 25, 2010

Sheheen Fights to Hold State Government Accountable

Columbia, SC - State Senator Vincent Sheheen (D-Camden) announced today that his plan to enact legislative oversight of state agencies is gaining momentum. Sheheen's plan to overhaul the way state government is operated has been incorporated into a reform measure to make the state's Department of Disability and Special Needs (DDSN) a cabinet level agency.

Senator Sheheen issued the following statement:

"Too often our state government agencies are on auto-pilot, acting with limited accountability to the taxpayer. Little is accomplished by shifting an agency if you don't include oversight and accountability. We owe it to the taxpayers to seize this opportunity to make their government more accountable. That's why I've fought for years to reform our state government and ensure greater oversight and accountability." said Sheheen.

January 20, 2010

SC Senate Republicans Say No to Jobs Legislation

Columbia, SC - The South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus today blocked an effort by Senate Democrats to fast-track reform of the state's Employment Security Commission.

Senate Democrats moved to put a reform plan for the state's work force development agency on special order - a move that would put the bill in the top spot of the senate’s agenda. Senate Republicans blocked the move.

Today's actions follow a lengthy debate over Republican leadership's efforts to pass a non-binding resolution on state sovereignty.

"Currently South Carolina has the third highest jobless rate in the country. Instead of passing a critical agency reform plan to help the unemployed find work and create jobs, the leadership that controls the Senate is wasting taxpayer dollars passing a resolution to affirm a constitutional amendment ratified over 200 years ago," said Senator Vincent Sheheen (D-Camden). "I'm confident our Founding Fathers got it right the first time. We need to focus on our state's needs in 2010. It's immoral not to do so."