S.C. House 40 GOP Q&A

Jun. 11—NEWBERRY COUNTY — On June 14, voters will have a decision to make for South Carolina House 40 in the Republican primary.

The three candidates running for the nomination include Tammy Johns, of Prosperity, Rick Martin (incumbent), of Newberry and Joseph White, of Prosperity.

The winner of this election will appear on the November ballot, there is not a Democrat challenger.

The following questions were submitted to each candidate via email. Answers have been minimally edited for spelling, grammar and punctuation. The responses are in alphabetic order by last name.

1. What will you do at the State House to draw attention to the Midland's needs, especially Newberry County?

Johns: "I will be a voice for District 40. I will continue to be active in the communities of District 40 and listen to the voters.

"As your next State House Representative, I will work to:

"—Provide top quality education to our students by improving our schools

"—I will support our first responders and military who are our lifeline for freedom

"—I will work to improve our existing roads and bridges that are in need of repair and search for the funding to build new roads we so desperately need.

"I will be a strong, active member of the State House. I will fight to bring taxpayer dollars to District 40."

Martin: "As your State House Representative, I have fought to bring our tax dollars back home to Newberry County, and so far we've been able to bring a new 911 system, a new training facility at the old fairgrounds for our local heroes, our firefighters, EMS and law enforcement, and we've gotten more roads and bridges fixed in the last six years than ever before. We're only getting started. This can't happen without putting in the time and building relationships, as I've done and will continue to do for Newberry and Lexington counties if re-elected."

White: "Coalitions in government create legislation that works for their constituents. My task as Newberry County's State House representative will be to become friends with other State House representatives from other rural counties, representatives like Bill Whitmire from Walhalla, Bill Sandifer from Seneca, and Stewart Jones from Laurens.

"Over half of the State House representatives are from rural counties. Working together, we will ensure that our community needs are addressed; and that legislation is passed that benefits our hard-working blue-collar constituents.

"Caucuses are groups of like-minded legislators who work together to create and pass legislation. I will immediately join two caucuses.

"1. The Freedom Caucus — designed to push legislation that decreases government costs and increases personal freedom.

"2. The Family Caucus — designed to create and pass legislation favorable to working families that focuses on the importance of traditional American faith and family values.

"Caucuses stand together and united to form strong legislative coalitions. I will work tirelessly to encourage other legislators to join these two caucuses. Working together, "For the People," we can get pro-family, pro-freedom legislation passed."

2. As a member of the House, how would you work to address our educational needs, to include the teacher shortage and how to improve South Carolina's national education ranking?

Johns: "Education is one of my top issues. Every child deserves a top quality education regardless of their zip code. I will be dedicated to improving our schools by providing our students the resources they need. This starts by ensuring our tax dollars see their way into the classroom. I will always support teachers. As I visit schools, I always take time to listen to the teachers, staff and administrators to hear what they need. I will continue to listen and help provide for their needs. I will push to see standardized testing fair and equitable for every state."

Martin: "Our children are our future, and it's vital that they have everything they need to be successful. Our teachers are key players in bringing up the next generation, and that's why they need to be supported. I've fought for raises, pushed to bring tax dollars back to our classrooms, and in 2019 I introduced a bill to ensure that all public school teachers and librarians have at least 30 minutes of unencumbered time during the school day. Gov. McMaster recently signed a bill requiring unencumbered time for elementary and special ed. teachers, and I hope to extend this to all public school teachers. Supporting our students also means expanding school choice, which would not only offer more educational freedom to families, but would take some of the strain off of our public school system. Some of these things we can do at the state level, but I also believe in returning more decision-making power to local school boards, and better yet to families."

White: "First, let me be clear, I believe that the federally mandated standardized testing system should be eliminated!

"Public education should be designed to prepare our next generation for LIFE, not to answer a, b, c, or d, on a standardized test! When young people graduate, they will answer those standardized test questions by Googling them.

"At the legislature, we must pass legislation that not only increases base pay for teachers from the current $36,000 to $40,000, but also increases pay for our experienced and more highly qualified teachers as well. There should be no arbitrary number of years at which a teacher's salary is capped. To cap a person's pay after an arbitrary number of years is ridiculous.

"At the local level, as your representative, I will work with great businesses like West Electric, Hamm Hardware, Wilson Tractor, Sea Pro, Kraft, Samsung, etc. to create better vocational training opportunities and high school entrepreneurial programs available through the Small Business Administration, programs that prepare our next generation for LIFE!

"I will work with local churches, Boys clubs, Girls clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, FFA, 4H, etc. to create volunteer, faith-based, after-school programs like the Scooter Scott Project in West Columbia. We need programs that are designed to nurture kids who are living in households that either do not know how or do not have the time to properly nurture them. We the People of Newberry County can create opportunities for our next generation that can end the cycle of poverty many of our youth are born into. We the people can do more than government bureaucrats to improve our quality of life in Newberry County."

What efforts do you see the State House taking to combat rising costs and how they impact the average South Carolina family?

Johns: "Inflation is a major issue for every South Carolinian. While there's not a lot the state legislature can do in terms of legislation or policy for this largely federal issue, we should consider suspending the state gas tax to help our citizens. I will encourage all South Carolinians to be involved in their communities, know what is going on, and most importantly — VOTE."

Martin: "We all know the devastating impacts of inflation on our savings and our ability to make ends meet. While this problem can largely be blamed on the federal government's out-of-control spending, there are things we can do right here in South Carolina to help. This starts with allowing working families to keep the fruits of their labor by reducing the tax burden. South Carolina also has an outrageous number of regulations that hinder people's ability to open businesses and bring goods to market. Government makes things more expensive to produce, and those costs get passed on to the consumer. Getting government out of the way and allowing the market to work is the best solution for this and other problems. It's a lesson Washington would do well to learn, but first we have to learn it here in South Carolina."

White: "Fiscal responsibility is the place to start!

"At my house, we waste some money. We could cut out some things — less ice cream, fewer soft drinks, less eating out, fewer trips to "pick up a few things."

"I am a businessman! When times were tough in business, I could always find a way to cut back — saving thousands annually when necessary.

"At the State House, we need some "penny pinching" scrooges! Every department has waste, DHEC, DOT, etc. There are at least 135 different departments and agencies, and I bet every one of them has some waste.

"When Mark Sanford was governor, he made a lot of people mad by pointing out waste.

"It's time, again! It's time to find the waste and eliminate it.

"The best place to start is in the education sector since 43% of our taxes go to education.

"What six-figure ($100,000+) administrator positions could be eliminated? Cut a million here, a million there, and the first thing you know, we've saved a billion, a billion that can be used to reduce income taxes or property taxes.

"When our ancestors got tired of taxation without representation, they dumped a bunch of tea in the Boston Harbor."

Brief Personal Statement:

Johns: "I am running because it's time for a strong, fresh, conservative leader.

"I started my first business at the age of 15. I know firsthand the importance of hard work and accountability.

"I have been involved in my community since an early age. I chaired my first event at age 18, the Chapin Labor Day Festival.

"I will continue to stay active and involved in working for our community. I will listen to the people, show up to work, and represent the citizens of District 40."

Martin: "I'm a lifelong Newberry resident and business owner. My wife, Fran, and I have four daughters. My roots in this community run deep. All I want is to serve and make our community better, as I've fought to do since I was elected. Help me keep up this good work."

White: "Joe White is just one of you. He is a man with great faith in our creator God, a man who is living the American Dream. Joe is a man who loves South Carolina and our "Sweet Land of Liberty." Joe needs your vote on June 14th."

Reach Andrew Wigger @ 803-768-3122 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.