Sheheen, Kelly set for Senate election

A new senator for District 27 will be elected Feb. 3 to fill the unexpired term of the late Donald Holland.

Democratic Rep. Vincent Sheheen is running against Republican Steve Kelly, chairman of Kershaw County Council. Both live in Camden.

Sheheen, whose campaign has raised nearly $75,000, said he will focus on bringing jobs to the rural district, which includes large portions of Kershaw and Chesterfield counties and smaller areas in Lancaster and Marlboro counties.

“The loss of jobs in the Senate district, and in South Carolina, has become an increasingly more important issue,” Sheheen said.

Kelly, too, said an aggressive approach to job creation is critical.

“I think economic development is the key to our future,” said Kelly, whose campaign contributions exceed $41,000.

Sheheen, 32, helped form a “rural caucus” of bipartisan lawmakers last year. The caucus is working to fund an economic development bank to help rural counties build water and sewer lines, which are critical to industrial development.

Sheheen said federal cooperation to secure funds will be key. “This would be a way that we could spread the wealth over South Carolina,” he said.

Kelly, 52, who has served on council for many years, 13 as chairman, said Kershaw County has seen progress over the past five years in job creation. New and existing industries have added more than 2,400 jobs and invested $553 million.

While the county has lost jobs during the same period because of layoffs and plant closings, Kelly said the county’s preparation has been invaluable in securing new development.

“If we had not had this influx of business and development, we would not be in the shape we’re in, which I think is pretty good shape,” he said.

Preservation of natural resources and quality of life is important with new development, Kelly said, adding that Kershaw County has done a good job balancing industrial growth with the county’s rural character.

In addition to jobs, Sheheen said he would continue his focus on tax reform. Sheheen, along with Rep. Rick Quinn, R-Richland, introduced a tax reform plan last year that would raise the state sales tax and eliminate property taxes. The plan, still open to change, has sparked several other tax reform plans.

“I think there have been some positive developments on the tax restructuring idea,” he said.

And both candidates are focusing on education.

Sheheen said tax reform goes hand-in-hand with education funding reform, adding all school districts need to be brought up to the same funding level.

“The single most important thing we do is educating our children,” Kelly said.

Sheheen is interested in preserving natural areas in the state. He said a big issue lawmakers will deal with this year is how to fund the conservation land bank created two years ago. The land bank would make grants to local government and nonprofit agencies to help them preserve sensitive natural areas.

Sheheen said Lake Wateree, which straddles Kershaw and Fairfield counties, is a prime example of a place that could benefit from the land bank.

“Right now there’s no readily available way to preserve natural land left around Lake Wateree,” he said.

Polls for Tuesday’s election will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting for the S.C. Democratic presidential primary, set for the same day, also will be held in those polling places.

Reach Rupon at (803) 771-8622 or krupon@thestate.com