South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley

I have two children in public schools and am fully invested in seeing the quality of our education improve not just for them but for all children in South Carolina. Our students deserve a government that is committed to actually improving our worst in the nation education system, not just throwing dollars at it. Money does not help a child if it has to go through thousands of bureaucrats and 85 school districts to get to the classroom. I went to a rural school in Bamberg where everyone took care of everyone else. I’ve lived in Orangeburg where teachers struggle so much with discipline they don’t have the opportunity to teach – and kids don’t have the opportunities to learn. And now I represent Lexington where every public school is like a private one. That disparity is wrong, any way you look at it. We owe it to every child in this state, no matter where they live, to make their education a priority and that means completely reforming our education funding formula.

Government exists to serve the people, not the other way around, yet in South Carolina it often feels just the opposite. Despite a recent rule change that’s moving us in the right direction, our legislators still vote anonymously more often than not. We can’t go online and see how every one of our taxpayer dollars is being spent. We still don’t know how – and more importantly, by who – our legislators are being paid. And although our Governor is term limited, our legislators aren’t.

These changes are critical if we are going to reform a system of government that, in truth, serves the political class far better than it serves the people of our state.   As Governor, I will push for every single vote on the record, for all taxpayer dollars being listed online, for real income disclosures by all legislators, and for term limits.  When our elected officials know that the people can see what they are doing it will change the way they conduct business and the policy in this state will begin to move in a direction that we can all be proud of. I have fought and worked to bring accountability and transparency to government, and I won’t stop until sunlight shines on every part of the government process.

Economic development is the most important issue facing our next governor. We have to make South Carolina a good place to own a business, and doing so starts with taking care of the businesses we already have. That means reforming our tax code – beginning with eliminating the small business income tax – so it’s flatter and fairer and no longer places so much of the burden on the small businesses that drive our economy. It means taking advantage of our tech schools and skilling the workers our employers need. It means fighting to preserve South Carolina’s status as a ‘right-to-work’ state. The truth – in spite of most politicians trying to convince you otherwise – is governing isn’t rocket science, it’s just common sense. If the businesses in this state have cash flow and profit margins they will hire more people and our economy will grow, and it’s time we take the necessary steps to make that a reality. I will fight to make South Carolina a great place to own and run a business – only then will business outside of our state look to South Carolina as an attractive place to set up shop.