(Published October 6‚ 2003)

GREER, S.C. (AP) - Gov. Mark Sanford began a three-day, nine-city tour of South Carolina on Monday, discussing jobs and the economy with business owners and reporters.

Sanford made stops at two small Upstate businesses before holding a roundtable discussion with reporters at a Greer restaurant.

The governor said he would discuss specific job growth and tax reform proposals closer to the beginning of the legislative session in January.

Sanford said he would continue to focus on recruiting new businesses to South Carolina and growing small businesses. He also said he would continue to work on reducing state income taxes, which he said are among the highest in the nation.

Lowering the income tax has been effective in creating jobs and increasing income levels in other states, Sanford said.

"What you'd see when you look at the average of those states that cut income taxes as opposed to raising them during times like these is three times the job growth and 46 percent higher personal income levels," Sanford said.

The state faces a difficult budget year, $350 million in the hole with an additional $155 million deficit left over from two years ago. Sanford said he wants to completely erase the $155 million deficit before his term ends because leaving it would set a "terrible precedent" for future governors.

Because of the budget situation, it's unlikely state employees will receive a pay raise again this year, he said. "We'd like to build it in our budget, but I don't know if we'll be able to."