Day Tradexchange Inc. (SYNJ)

[RobC]

March 6, 2009..

3/1: Timely commentary on rural SC
To Statehouse Report:


I found your editorial, "Legislators need to stop forgetting our rural areas," very timely and appropriate. I happen to live in Williamsburg County where I relocated from Marlboro County. I find it sickening how the legislative delegations for rural counties, particularly, those in the Pee Dee Region, shortchange their constituents election after election after election.


But the problem isn't just at the state level. It also rest within these counties and municipal councils who refuse to do anything to create something that slightly resembles quality of life in these rural communities. Case in point, the federal prisons in Marlboro and Williamsburg counties bought in 300 plus jobs to each county. Less than 15 percent (my personal estimate) of the prison employees live in the counties.

Since there's an overage of available housing in these counties, the elected officials argue the schools are the problems. I beg to differ... many of the students who attend these very same schools receive an excellent education -- for those who want to learn. They go on to college and do very well for themselves. So "the schools" have served as a convenient political excuse to deprive these counties and their residents of economic development.

These elected officials can recite the list of projects and money they've bought in to help their constituents and communities, but the facts of consistent high unemployment and persistent poverty are the real indicator of their achievements as legislators and council members.

-- Roosevelt Henegan Jr., Kingstree, SC

http://www.statehousereport.com/CurrentIssue.aspx?ID=15