From the category archives:

Business

The General Assembly has passed a measure to protect secret balloting for workers in elections for union representation. The House and Senate moved the bill through this week and it will be on the statewide ballot  in the next general election.

Pickens Senator Larry Martin says if this measure becomes a constitutional amendment it will send a strong economic development message. “The movement at the federal level to adopt the Employee Free Choice legislation–though it appears to have diminished somewhat since we started this effort last year–that bill is still pending and we felt like we need to move forward and send the strongest message possible that this is the way we want union elections conducted in South Carolina,” Martin says.

The bill was filibustered for days by Orangeburg Senator Brad Hutto, who says the state cannot supercede federal labor laws. Senator Martin took Hutto to task often during his filibuster.

(Listen to debate between Hutto and Martin MP3 :54)

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SC Senate debates tax breaks for retail (Audio)

by Ashley Byrd 03/12/10 12:10 AM

Debate in the Senate this week centered around a new shopping center. Jasper County wants to offer state tax breaks for the Sembler Company to build a retail mall. Read bill
Jasper Senator Clementa Pinckney’s argument: what’s good for Boeing and other manufacturing companies is good for large scale commercial development. His area needs the jobs, [...]

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US House Republicans support ban on earmarks

by William Christopher 03/11/10 8:35 PM

Republicans hoping to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to support an across-the-board, one-year ban on earmarks.  Among those in favor of the moratorium was Representative Bob Inglis.
“This is an opportunity to correct a mistake of our past majority.  People at home understand that when you have only enough money to cover entitlement [...]

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BEA pauses for more info on ESC issues

by William Christopher 03/11/10 5:38 PM

 The South Carolina Board of Economic Advisers met Thursday afternoon but decided not to change the state’s revenue projections–for this month. Board Chairman John Rainey says the board wants to see what happens concerning the Employment Security Commission in upcoming weeks, as state lawmakers debate changes at the agency and try to implement reforms. Lawmakers [...]

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Logistics leader building new facility in Berkeley County

by Michael Brown 03/11/10 3:34 PM

A leader in logistical services across the nation announced it will build its new facility in Berkeley County. Los Angeles-based Moulton Logistics Management is building a new facility in Berkeley County that is expected to bring in about 500 news jobs within the next five years.
This week’s announcement was made by the South Carolina Department [...]

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