Talk about some deep pockets. The four-way Republican race for state
treasurer is so rich and powerful it could impress the big spenders on Wall
Street.
Mount Pleasant developer Thomas Ravenel and Aiken state Sen. Greg Ryberg are
millionaires who will spare no expense in running their campaigns.
Upstate home builder Jeff Willis is rapidly closing in on the millionaires
club, and former state lawmaker Rick Quinn was once Republican majority leader
in the House of Representatives.
Why so much interest in a state job that pays $97,000 a year? Politics.
Republicans think Democratic incumbent Grady Patterson, 82, is vulnerable
because he's the last Democratic statewide officeholder in South Carolina.
The treasurer traditionally has been one of the less-battle-scarred offices
in the state, but it does have clout in guiding financial policy. In addition to
advising the governor and the Statehouse on financial forecasts, the office
helps manage more than $30 billion in investments, including for the state
workers' retirement system.
The treasurer also holds one of five seats on the influential state Budget
and Control Board, the state's top policy-setting body that has the power to
approve state contracts and settle emergency matters when the General Assembly
is not in session.
Rick Quinn
In 2004, Quinn was riding high in GOP politics as House majority leader when
he lost his Columbia seat in the Republican primary and his 16-year career
stalled.
Quinn, 40, who runs a direct-mail business and leases Columbia-area office
space to others, said he entered the treasurer's race because he wants to become
an advocate for a top-to-bottom reform of the state's tax code.
Quinn quotes data saying South Carolina has the second-highest property tax
rate in the Southeast behind Florida. He favors having the state rely more on
consumption tax proceeds and less on property tax revenue.
"Let some of the tourists pay our bills," he said.
The state has some $2.5 billion in taxable exemptions, such as on soda and
newspaper sales, that he wants lifted.
He also favors raising the state's tax on cigarettes and replacing the
maximum $300 tax on new vehicle sales with a flat 3 percent sales tax, all in an
effort to reduce property taxes.
Thomas Ravenel
In his first statewide bid for office two years ago, Ravenel, 43, finished
third in the GOP race for the U.S. Senate seat eventually won by Jim DeMint.
Ravenel, who specialized in developing shopping sites, missed the GOP runoff
by about 5,000 votes out of more than 296,000 cast.
At the time he said he had no interest in any other elected office. His
change of heart came, he said, when he saw parts of Gov. Mark Sanford's agenda
routinely blocked by the Budget and Control Board.
He blamed the repeated 3-2 votes on Patterson and on House and Senate budget
leaders butting heads with Sanford over how to run state government.
Ravenel, the youngest son of former lawmaker Arthur Ravenel Jr., supports the
governor's efforts to streamline government and eliminate waste and duplication.
He'd also like to see more of the state's constitutional offices become
appointed by the governor.
Greg Ryberg
Ryberg, 59, came to South Carolina from the Midwest years ago with the
Kimberly-Clark company, which makes paper hygiene products. From there, he
branched out with some friends to start a fuel distribution company. He opened
his business with seven employees and it blossomed into a chain of 53
convenience stores employing more than 550 people.
He entered politics in 1992, winning a seat in the S.C. Senate, and first ran
for treasurer in 2002, garnering 48 percent of the vote.
Ryberg says his political record and business acumen are indicators of the
sort of treasurer he'd be. As a senator, he advocated the recent tort reform
package.
He'd like to see the state treasurer's office become more of an advocate for
taxpayers. Although the treasurer does not vote on the state budget, he favors
issuing public forecasts on major budget issues coming out of the
Legislature.
He thinks some of the state's investment portfolio needs to be expanded. For
example, he wants the state's retirement fund to be invested in equity funds,
not just bonds. That would increase returns, fix the fund's shortfall and lower
the risk of insolvency, he said.
Jeff Willis
Willis, 37, who is making his first bid for public office, is a former
manager of an Upstate textile mill who returned to the family business of home
building about seven years ago.
Willis dove into the treasurer's race about a year ago after his mother lost
her retirement savings in the bankruptcy of the Carolina Investors finance
company.
Willis said the state's retirement system, which the treasurer manages, is
headed in the same direction because too many employees are drawing benefits
while the state is not getting the best return for its money. If elected, he
said he'd push for greater diversity in investments.
"There's no quick fix," he said. "This is going to be a pain for whoever is
the state treasurer."
One step Willis suggested is to revert to a service requirement of 30 years
before state employees become eligible for retirement. The requirement is now 28
years.
"I'm not sure that I have an answer," he said, "but I will have the passion
to fight through it, having experienced it myself."
Rick Quinn
DATE OF BIRTH: June 22, 1965
RESIDENCE: Lexington
EDUCATION: Bachelor of arts, University of South Carolina, 1993
OCCUPATION: Owner and CEO, Mail Marketing Strategies
PRIOR PUBLIC OFFICE: House of Representatives District 71 (Richland &
Lexington Counties) 1988-2004; House Republican Majority Leader, 2000-2004;
Member, House Ways and Means Committee 1992-2004; Chairman, Law Enforcement
Budget Committee; Chairman, Health and Human Services & Medicaid Budget
Committee.
HOW TO CONTACT: Cell phone (803) 467-6209, Office (803) 799-9951,
www.rickquinn.com, rick@rickquinn.com
SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN: How to play a guitar.
SOMETHING IMPORTANT LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME: That children are God's greatest
blessing.
SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: That I own most every song Elvis
Presley ever recorded.
SOMETHING THAT THE AREA I WOULD SERVE NEEDS: Honest, meaningful, lasting tax
relief to stimulate economic growth.
TOUGHEST PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE I'VE FACED: Starting a business from scratch
at the age of 22.
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE: Persuade public
officials to serve a cause greater than themselves.
NAME ONE SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, IF ELECTED: Reform our state's
unfair, outdated tax code and eliminate property taxes for the families and
businesses of South Carolina.
Greg Ryberg
DATE OF BIRTH: Oct. 5, 1946
RESIDENCE: Aiken
EDUCATION: Mathematics degree, bachelor of science, Marquette University,
1968
OCCUPATION: CEO, REI, Inc. in Aiken.
PRIOR PUBLIC OFFICE: S.C. Senate, 1993-present.
HOW TO CONTACT: (803) 641-4125; www.gregryberg.com; greg@gregryberg.com
SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN: Ballroom dancing ? my wife loves to
dance; fly fishing, to spend tranquil time outdoors, and learn to putt
(golf).
SOMETHING IMPORTANT LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME: Hard work, honesty in promises to
others and ethical living brings personal success.
SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I laugh at home a lot. I actually
do a marionette comedy routine (six years in a row) in the annual family talent
show.
SOMETHING THE AREA I WOULD SERVE NEEDS: Fiscal accountability and fiscal
input to legislative decisions. I cannot stress enough that it is the people's
money, not the government's money.
TOUGHEST PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE I'VE FACED: Starting a company with high
goals but counting on the trust of others; that I would keep my promise to work
incredibly hard to attain those goals.
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE: I would hope the
world would be safe. Safe in religion, emotional and physical lives and in the
environment.
NAME ONE SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, IF ELECTED: Restore financial
soundness and accountability to the South Carolina retirement system. This would
include restoration of the AAA credit rating.
Jeff Willis
DATE OF BIRTH: Nov. 16, 1968
RESIDENCE: Easley
EDUCATION: Bachelor of science in mathematics, Clemson University, 1992;
master's degree in professional accounting, Clemson, 2002.
OCCUPATION: Owner Gray & Willis Homes and One Tree Hill Inc.
PRIOR PUBLIC OFFICE: First bid for public office.
HOW TO CONTACT: Home: (864) 295-2148; cell: (864) 303-6555. E-mail:
jeff@willisforsc.com; Web: www.willisforsc.com
SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN: A foreign language.
SOMETHING IMPORTANT LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME: Don't ever give up.
SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: In sixth grade I started my first
business, selling the "Grit" newspaper in the parking lot of the Winn-Dixie in
Liberty, S.C. Have been working ever since.
SOMETHING THE AREA I WOULD SERVE NEEDS: Progressive new leadership.
TOUGHEST PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE I'VE FACED: Earning a master's in accounting
over the course of 10 years, while raising a family and beginning a
business.
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE: Eliminate the
effect of money on the political process.
NAME ONE SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, IF ELECTED: Restore the state
retirement system.
Thomas Ravenel
DATE OF BIRTH: Aug. 11, 1962
RESIDENCE: Charleston
EDUCATION: The Citadel, May 1985, BS in Business Administration, University
of South Carolina, MBA, 1991
OCCUPATION: President, Ravenel Development Corp., 14 years
PRIOR PUBLIC OFFICE: Finished third in the 2004 GOP race for the U.S. Senate
seat won by Jim DeMint.
HOW TO CONTACT: (843) 723-6605
SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO LEARN: To become fluent in a second
language.
SOMETHING IMPORTANT LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME: Discipline, persistence and boldness
will take you far personally, professionally and financially in America.
SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I was not a very good student.
SOMETHING THE AREA I WOULD SERVE NEEDS: More investment capital.
TOUGHEST PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE I'VE FACED: Developing my first shopping
center.
IF I COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT THE WORLD, IT WOULD BE: Replace corrupt
governments around the world with governments that had the democratic
institutions that have allowed so much prosperity and liberty in America.
NAME ONE SPECIFIC GOAL YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH, IF ELECTED: Use the office as
a bully pulpit to restructure a very destructive (in terms of economic growth)
state government to allow South Carolina to become a mecca for investment
capital, which will drive up the wealth and income of our people.
