2011 Competitiveness Agenda

The Easley Chamber of Commerce board of directors unanimously endorses the following 2011 South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Competitiveness Agenda. The SC Chamber will communicate weekly to our chamber the status of the key legislative bills that will help South Carolina’s businesses become more competitive in this global economy.

The Competitiveness Agenda is the business community’s annual list of legislative priorities, derived from 10 Grassroots Regional Meetings with business leaders across South Carolina.

Tax Reform:

Companies considering investment in South Carolina base their decisions largely on the stability and predictability of the state’s tax policies. South Carolina industrial properties currently pay the highest property tax rates in the nation, and commercial properties pay the seventh highest rates.

The Chamber advocates:

Achieving comprehensive tax reform, including repealing Act 388
Reforming the business license fee structure

Economic Development:

Incentives to promote prosperity through economic development are required to create a sustainable competitive business environment to increase wealth for all citizens. In 2011, the General Assembly’s concentration must be on job creation, beginning with a focused economic development incentive package to lead South Carolina’s economic recovery.

The Chamber advocates:

Achieving comprehensive tort reform, including non-economic damage caps, punitive damage caps, limits on appeals bonds and seatbelt admissibility
Continuing port expansion, including a dual rail access solution and port dredging
Supporting the South Carolina Department of Commerce, including the Closing Fund
Dedicated funding towards the maintenance of South Carolina’s roads and bridges
Strengthening intellectual property rights of employers
Full funding for ReadySC (formerly known as CATT)
Funding the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP), including particular investment tax credits
Adequate, dedicated and recurring funding for broad tourism marketing and matching dollars around the state
Providing available and cost effective energy
Support seed capital and microloan legislation to help spur economic growth, especially for minority and women owned businesses

Workforce Development:

To foster a commitment to developing a highly skilled, well-educated population that will have more opportunities, more job choices and more security with prosperous companies in South Carolina, a partnership of action and cooperation between the public and private sectors is needed to ensure accountability and success.

The Chamber advocates:

Funding for key education initiatives, including Personal Pathways to Success (EEDA) and the endowed chairs program
Legislation to help achieve the business community’s 2020 Education Goals
Supporting early childhood reading initiatives

Regulatory Relief:

Government and regulatory policies have the potential to support strong economic development or inhibit it, both at the federal and state levels.

The Chamber advocates:

Ensuring South Carolina environmental standards are no more stringent than federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines
Streamlining the environmental permitting process

Health Care:

Health insurance costs now represent the second highest expenditure for businesses after wages. Additionally, an estimated 720,000 South Carolinians are uninsured. The Chamber believes health care delivery costs must be addressed to ensure affordable health care insurance is an option for all South Carolina employees.

The Chamber advocates:

Legislation to ensure employers are able to provide sound and cost-effective health insurance for employees

Government Restructuring:

The Chamber supports efficiency, accountability and fiscal responsibility achieved through restructuring key areas of state government. As the state recovers from the economic downturn, it is vital to adopt certain measures for long-term sustainability of state services.

The Chamber supports:

Creating a state spending cap with a budget stabilization fund to bring more predictability to state spending.
Amending state statutes to move away from a revenue estimating-based budget process to a prior-year’s budget as a basis for projections.
Consolidating the administrative functions of the South Carolina Budget and Control Board into the Office of the Governor.
Appointing the offices of state Superintendent of Education, Secretary of State, Adjutant General and Commissioner of Agriculture and making these offices cabinet positions instead of constitutionally elected officials.
Jointly electing the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Download the 2011 Competitiveness Agenda PDF File>>>