Drake Rolls Out Jobs Plan

The next Governor needs to lay out a wide-ranging agenda for immediate improvement and long-term transformation of South Carolina’s economy. Today Dwight Drake released the first installment of his jobs plan.

This is an initial installment of the major economic action items that I think are necessary for our people to have not only the hope but the reality of better jobs for a better future.

The plan covers the entire jobs spectrum in South Carolina, from attracting large employers to supporting the Main Street small businesses that make up the backbone of the state’s economy. It includes a focus on instilling professionalism and cutting-edge best practices in the state’s economic development efforts, while looking ahead to best take advantage of future opportunities.

The key elements of the twelve-page plan are summarized as follows, (read the full plan here):

1. Professionalism, Not Politics: I will end Mark Sanford’s practice of appointing a political friend as Secretary of Commerce. Instead, I will find the best, most experienced economic development professional that can be identified and appoint that man or woman as Secretary of Commerce to work hand-in-hand with me to bring jobs to South Carolina.

2. Bipartisan Jobs Cabinet: Immediately upon my election, I will establish a nine person, bipartisan “Jobs Cabinet,” including members of the Legislature, the business community, and the research community to assist in identifying the best economic development professional for appointment as Secretary of Commerce. I will also call on this “Jobs Cabinet” to provide advice and counsel on other job development activities of my administration.

3. Laying the Groundwork for Growth: In order to prepare for landing the major industry projects of the future, South Carolina’s next Governor must analyze and update our incentives programs, target the next automotive manufacturing facility under consideration, and identify and certify “mega-sites” for major industrial prospects.

4. Seizing Opportunity at South Carolina’s Ports and Preparing for the Future – the Expansion of the Panama Canal and the End of the Cuban Trade Embargo: One of my administration’s top priorities will be to maximize the job development assets and potential of the South Carolina Ports Authority by first supporting the new leadership at the Ports Authority in efforts to bring in new business immediately to our ports, and then to specifically focus on the major opportunities for enhanced traffic resulting from the completed expansion of the Panama Canal in 2014 and the likely end of the Cuban trade embargo.

5. Supporting Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Small Business Retention: My administration will complement its professional recruitment of large industries with a new focus on spurring more “home-grown” jobs among our smaller employers and start-up entrepreneurial businesses and retaining our existing small business base with smart, targeted tax reform.

6. Equality of Opportunity: My administration will be dedicated to insuring equal opportunity for minority and women entrepreneurs.

7. Economic Development for ALL South Carolinians: My administration will get rid of the “Columbia always knows best” approach and be a reliable partner for local economic development activities and organizations, especially in rural areas of the state.

8. Educating the Workforce of the Future: My administration will maximize the potential of our higher education institutions as economic development engines.

9. Leadership for Sustainable Economic Growth: South Carolina’s economic policy must protect our natural resources for the long term while providing our entrepreneurs and businesspeople the efficiency and room for growth that drives our economy.

10. Building Jobs Through Economic Clusters: My administration will develop and maintain a comprehensively mapped inventory of existing and new economic “clusters” as well as related economic activity across South Carolina to help guide our jobs development work.

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