Ken Ruinard Independent-Mail South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford looks at a coated iron motor lamination held by Steve Darby of Darby Electric in Anderson during the tour of the small business Monday.

By Emily Huigens
Independent-Mail
October 6, 2003

The metaphor was perfect — the engines rebuilt at Darby Electric, a small family-owned Anderson business, represented what South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford believes powers the state’s economy: small businesses.

Monday as part of a nine-city trip through the state to promote his goals for 2004, Gov. Sanford toured the Darby Electric facility on U.S. 29, where he got a crash course in industrial engine repair and talked with reporters about his hopes for the next legislative session.

The governor didn’t give a formal presentation during his visit, and instead listened to Darby Electric President Steve Darby describe his business and the different kinds of engine work his 40 employees do every day.

When he did get an opportunity to talk, Gov. Sanford said he is still committed to lowering South Carolina’s income tax, which he believes would ease the burden on small businesses such as Darby Electric.

"We think it’s important that South Carolina not have effectively the highest income tax in the Southeast," the governor said.

South Carolina’s income tax rates range by income level from 2.5 percent to 7 percent, with a 5 percent corporate rate.
North Carolina’s income tax rate peaks at 8.25 percent, but the peak rate kicks in only at $120,000 while South Carolina’s top rate applies to income of $12,000 or more.

According to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a small-government advocacy group, job growth and personal income growth in states that have lowered income tax rates over the past 12 years beat out growth in states that raised income tax rates.

The governor also addressed questions about what he called redundancies in the state’s educational system. He said he favors establishing a Board of Regents system or some other governing body to preside over the state’s higher education system.

"Basically we’ve got a whole lot of campuses, which is a byproduct of legislative dominance," he said.

Whether due to redundancy or other disappointments, according to results from Gov. Sanford’s government accountability task force released last week, fewer blacks than whites believe their state government is headed in the right direction.

The governor said Monday he believes the disparity in confidence in government has deep historical roots, and won’t be resolved quickly.

"There’s a lot of history to get over in South Carolina, and that’s going to take time," he said.

Over his first nine months in office, Gov. Sanford said waiting for change has been his most powerful lesson.

"Things you can do unilaterally you can do right away — the part that takes longer is the legislative process," he said.

Emily Huigens can be reached at (864) 260-1260 or by e-mail at huigensee@IndependentMail.com.

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