The nine Republican candidates hoping to be the first person to hold the newly created 7th Congressional District seat took to the stage Tuesday night to talk about the issues.
The forum — sponsored by the Georgetown Times and its sister newspapers and the Coastal Observer — was held inside the new Waccamaw High School auditorium at Pawleys Island. More than 350 people were in attendance. GOPchairman Jim Jerow welcomed the candidates, supporters and members of the public.
A forum for the five Democrats seeking the office — sponsored by the two newspapers — will be held Monday, June 4 at 7 p.m. The forum will be in the Glisson Center at Bethel AME Church on Broad Street in Georgetown.
Since Tuesday’s forum was held in Georgetown County, it’s no surprise the dredging of the Port was a big topic for the candidates who answered questions submitted by readers of the two newspapers.
Renee' Culler said if elected she plans to try to get rid of some of the federal regulations that hamper things such as the Port dredging.
“Government is too involved in our lives and businesses,” she said.
Katherine Jenerette agreed, saying one of the biggest obstacles is the rule the Port needs a certain amount of tonnage in cargo shipments before money is allocated for dredging. The Port cannot meet that requirement without the dredging.
“These policies have got to be changed,” Jenerette said.
Randall Wallace said it’s important local officials and businesses that will benefit “make a case in Washington that it is a viable port.” He said the lawmakers who control the purse strings must see it’s “in the best interest” of the country that the dredging occur.
Jim Mader said he feels state and local governments need to help cover some of the costs of the dredging.
“This is a chance for Georgetown to survive,” he said.
Jenerette disagreed about who should pay.
“We have already paid for it to be dredged over and over and over. We just need to go get the money. It’s a Federal port,” she said.
Dick Withington said instead of dredging, businesses should make what is there work for them by using barges to offload cargo.
He also suggested private industry help foot the bill, an idea later expanded on by Andre Bauer.
“We should let businesses get tax incentives for helping to pay for the dredging,” Bauer said.
All but one of the candidates, when asked, said they would not support funding for the Port if it resulted in an increase to the federal deficit.
The exception was Rice who said supporting the improvement of infrastructure is vital in order for America to remain competitive with the rest of the world.
“The days of earmarks is over,” he said, adding projects such as the port need to be funded “on a merit system.” Rice said.
His answer drew a response from Bauer both on Tuesday night and in a press release Wednesday.
"I have pledged that I would not vote to raise our nation’s debt ceiling. We cannot afford it. Our children and their children do not deserve being burdened by our increasing debt and careless spending. We must have the capacity to say no. And we must do it now,” Bauer wrote. “I congratulate the other Republican candidates for agreeing with me during [Tuesday] night’s Congressional debate.”
Attracting jobs
The candidates were asked what can be done to bring more jobs to Georgetown County.
“The government needs to get out of the way and let the private sector do what it does best,” Jenerette said, emphasizing less regulation is needed.
Mader said it has to start with the residents who need to be more optimistic.
“If people are optimistic about the future people will hire. We need to show people the economy is turning around,” he said.
What can you live without?
Another reader wanted to know what federal services or programs the candidates would be willing to live without or pay more for in order to continue to use them.
“I will gladly do with less service from the Internal Revenue Service,” Jay Jordan said, which drew a large laugh from the audience. “We have to get to the idea that we must live on less. We can’t keep spending money we don’t have.”
Mader answered the U.S. Postal Service.
“They have 435 bosses. We need to eliminate 434 of them and it needs to be run like a business,” he said.
Chad Prosser said the Transportation Service Agency needs to be overhauled.
“They harass 82-year-old grandmothers,” he said, adding the TSA needs to be privatized and not funded by taxpayers.
Bauer said he feels funding for National Public Radio should be eliminated while Culler said “I can’t think of one government service worth paying more for.”
By Scott Harper
sharper@gtowntimes.com