Local Radar

---

---

Shane Massey responds

web posted August 27, 2007
WEBNEWS – Answers to the questions for Republican Candidates for District 25 Senate by Shane Massey

1 What do you feel is the single most important issue facing the 25th District and explain how you would address the issue if elected.

Economic development and job creation.

From a statewide perspective, we need to reduce spending and cut taxes. First, we must be more responsible with spending in Columbia. Over the past two years our state’s budget has grown by over forty-one percent. I will fight to limit growth in spending to population increases plus inflation. 

Second, by being more responsible with our spending, we can cut taxes and allow people to keep more of their hard-earned money.  When families have more money to invest in the economy, they energize business, which leads to job growth. This common-sense approach also leads to increased state revenues because of the growth in average income throughout the state. 

On the local level, I will be a strong voice in Columbia for economic development in Aiken, Edgefield, Saluda, and McCormick counties.  I will work with the local governments and economic development boards to recruit new jobs to the area and encourage existing businesses to expand.  I will make sure the Commerce Department pays attention to our area and focuses the necessary efforts and resources on improving the overall economy for our district.


2 Over the last few years there have been increased calls for a smoking ban imposed by the State General Assembly. If elected, would you support a statewide ban on smoking in private businesses?

I’m not a smoker, but I do not support a statewide smoking ban. Private businesses should decide whether to allow smoking in their businesses, and private citizens should decide whether to visit those establishments.


3 What is your position on abortion? Do you feel abortion should be a state or federal issue?

I believe life begins at conception, and we should work from that starting point to reduce the number of abortions in South Carolina.  The Supreme Court has made abortion a federal issue by invoking the U.S. Constitution.  Thus, although there are limits to what states can do, states are empowered to place certain restrictions and regulations on abortion.  For instance, I believe we should not allow partial-birth abortions, and I think we should require parental notification for minors seeking abortions unless there is an allegation of abuse, in which case we should arrest and prosecute the abuser. 

Having said that, if we really want to address the issue – as opposed to playing games with it like so many people like to do – we have to understand that abortion is really a cultural issue.  And to make real progress against abortion, we have to change our culture.  Our society has become desensitized to needless and excessive violence; we tolerate – and even accept – conduct that our grandparents would have avoided not only because it was wrong but also because of the public shame that would have resulted; and, most importantly, we no longer value life as we should.  Each of us – as parents, mentors, and individual members of society – must work together to revive traditional American values and take back our culture.  Without that cultural change, we cannot expect real progress in the abortion debate.

4 The last two decades have many feeling a marked erosion of the Home Rule Act by the General Assembly on local and county governments.  Do you:
A) Agree or disagree with the premise and B) What would you do, if elected, to support the Home Rule Act and the autonomy of local governments. 

I absolutely agree that Home Rule has been eroded.  Local government officials normally understand local issues better than members of the General Assembly. As your state senator, I will oppose repeated attempts by the state to interfere into purely local matters.  Additionally, while I will certainly support Home Rule, I will also work hard to provide the necessary state resources needed to improve the communities here in our district. 


5 What quality do you possess that would make you uniquely qualified to be the next District 25 Senator.

I’m willing to get involved and do the hard work that is necessary to improve our district and our state.  South Carolina is stuck in the mud because politicians in Columbia would rather fight and play political games than move our state forward. I won’t play those political games. I will work tirelessly to build bridges, move South Carolina forward, and create progress for our families.

To find real solutions to South Carolina’s problems, we have to change the status quo. That means changing the structure of our government and changing those more interested in politics than progress.  I’m willing to do the hard work that is necessary to shake up the status quo in Columbia.  To prove it, I'm knocking on 10,000 doors during this election.  I will bring that same work ethic to the State Senate. 


6 Illegal immigration has become an undeniable problem in District 25 and other districts across the state. It is a growing drain on the state and local government resources, schools, and health care facilities. Do you feel this is a federal issue and the states are powerless to confront the problem? What would you do as a Senator to address illegal aliens accessing government resources and jobs in South Carolina?


In order for us to have a real, long-lasting solution to the illegal immigration crisis, Congress has to act.  Unfortunately, Congress has dropped the ball and refused to do anything.  As a result of that inaction, many southeastern states – not including South Carolina - have toughened their immigration laws.  Since our immigration laws are some of the weakest in the Southeast, our problems have only gotten worse.
We must require companies doing business with state and local governments to verify their employees’ legal status. Unfortunately, many illegal immigrants use false identification to get jobs, and we cannot expect every business to have the means to differentiate between legitimate and false documentation. Therefore, we also need to increase penalties on identity theft.

7 With the increasing number of undocumented and illegal aliens in our state and the threat of terrorism growing each day, what would you do to protect the citizens of South Carolina from attack?


As State Senator, I will work to enforce and strengthen our current laws. First, we need to allow the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) to work with federal officials to investigate and arrest illegal immigrants in the state. Second, we must make it a felony to knowingly harbor or transport illegal immigrants.


8 Gov. Sanford has often said that South Carolina is wasting millions of dollars in tax revenues that could aid in reducing taxes. Do you agree or disagree and what would you do to reduce or increase taxes?


I agree.  First, we need to be more responsible with our spending.  Columbia is spending too much money and getting few results. Reducing spending allows us to cut taxes, giving families more money to spend, spurring our economy, and creating jobs in private industry. As your State Senator I will work hard to pass measures limiting state spending to population increases plus inflation.

Second, I will support efforts to restructure our state government.  Our current system of government is not only inefficient, but it is also more expensive to operate than other state governments.  We should restructure our government so that the governor has more control over executive agencies.  If we’re going to have a governor, we ought to give him the authority to be governor.
 

9 District 25 and the surrounding area is said to lead the state in infant mortality, births to teens and unwed mothers, and high school dropouts. South Carolina as a whole, in spite of above average spending per student, ranks among the lowest in the nation educationally. What would you do to improve these statistics in the state and specifically in District 25?

I think the most effective way to lower teen pregnancy is to improve family values in South Carolina. Every child deserves a mother and a father, and our state needs to create more incentives for people to get married and to stay married.

Community involvement is the key. Our education system has maintained the status quo for too long.  For the last several years, I have volunteered as a mentor at J.E.T. Middle School and as an attorney-coach for the mock trial team at Strom Thurmond High School. I believe professionals from every industry should help volunteer at local schools. We need to encourage students to stay in school by showing them the opportunity a high school diploma and college education offer them. Imagine an engineer from the Savannah River Site coming to teach a science class, a local reporter leading an English class, or a successful entrepreneur teaching a business class. This type of involvement would make learning exciting and would inspire children to work hard in school to achieve newly found career goals.   

The state can only do so much, though. If we want our schools to succeed and children to live successful lives, it’s going to take the entire community. But the state can help encourage the community to get involved. I will support legislation that offers tax incentives to companies whose employees volunteer in our public schools.


10.) As a whole, what are you most passionate about?  

Education.  It affects every other issue.

Some experts will tell you that we have one of the worst education systems in the nation because our test scores are lower than nearly every other state. Other experts will tell you that we have one of the best education systems because we have more stringent standards and most public schools are consistently improving. Regardless of which “experts” are right, we can all agree that South Carolina will prosper only when our children succeed. Currently 85% of South Carolina’s students attend public schools. That’s why we have to concentrate on supporting and advancing our public schools.

I believe public schools succeed when money is spent on actually educating our children. That means getting money out of bureaucracy and into the classroom. As your State Senator, I will demand that money be used more effectively and efficiently, and I will hold our education department accountable for every dollar spent. I will work to get money out of administration and into the classroom to hire more teachers and decrease teacher/student ratios.

We all know that there is a direct link between education and the economy. While we try to compete in a new global economy, we must have an exceptional work force ready to meet the new demands of growing technologies. I will work to implement more workforce training programs in our K-12 schools. I will also work to get more community involvement and public/private partnerships in Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda public schools. Having a prepared workforce will help recruit new employers to our area, increasing everyone’s quality of life.
 

EdgefieldDaily.com is a member of the
Edgefield County
Chamber of Commerce
New Link Below
Information and Activities

---

-----
Parting Shots
A new book by Columnist Carl Langley

---

JAM Straight Customs

---

Featured Dining

La Cantina

---

---

'08 Debate
Get involved

---

NOTICE:
We still need recipes for Cooking Section
WEBNEWS –  Send in your favorite or favorites. There is no limit to the number of recipes you can send in. With the Editor’s wife being the driving force behind her own personal section, help her create an exchange of local favorites, home cooking, grilling, sauces, and deserts!  Send in your submissions here.