The decision of Boeing to come to South Carolina is no mystery to the residents of the Palmetto state. South Carolina is a wonderful place to live and to work. As evidence, consider the tens of thousands of new residents who arrive here each year.
Together we must continually strive to insure our “workforce” is prepared to fill these job slots. I believe we can make an immediate difference through Education. Initially, the quickest way to equip our “workforce” is to allow 2 year colleges like Trident Tech to offer 4 year degrees. An enhancement of this magnitude would be beneficial in attracting more new industries to South Carolina. By offering 4 year degrees in applicable areas of science, such as electrical engineering and computer science, it would give assistance to our local students first. With the right education they will be able to take advantages of the opportunities Boeing and other related businesses will bring to our region.
I have been privileged on numerous occasions in the last few years to tour Trident Technical College on both campuses. Each time I was considerably impressed with the facilities, the Faculty, and most important of all, the Students. These Students are committed to preparing for their future. It would be a crime not to utilize what Trident Technical College can provide with a 4 Year program. This transition can be the First Step to securing more jobs and opportunity for all South Carolina residents.
I do have additional ideas to share with you in the upcoming months. As always I look forward to your feedback. Thank you for your support!
Lee Edwards - Your Candidate for SC House Seat 119
Killing the American dream... and taking our kids with it
Like many small business owners, I am in too much of a rush to get to the office to do more than glance at the headlines before I leave for work. This evening, when I got to take a more careful look at the paper, I was able to read a timely and important commentary from Steve Chapman, a member of the editorial board at the Chicago Tribune.
On Friday, July 24th, the minimum wage was raised from $6.55 to $7.25. According to Chapman, Professor David Newmark at the University of California at Irvine estimates that the raise will eliminate 300,000 jobs among teens and young adults. Many businesses will have to trim back their work force even more. Here is an excerpt from Chapman’s commentary:
Come Friday, the federally mandated minimum wage will jump to $7.25 an hour from $6.55 -- an 11 percent increase. At a time when employers are laying off workers, Washington is going to make it more expensive to keep them.
If you're a minimum wage employee, your job will pay more, but only if it still exists. These days, most companies are scrutinizing every position on the payroll to make sure it's worth the cost. Raise the toll, and some employees will find they are no longer valuable enough to make the cut.
Economists generally agree that increases in the minimum wage cause unemployment even when the economy is prospering -- something it has not been doing for the last year and a half. David Neumark, a professor at the University of California at Irvine, estimates this rise will destroy some 300,000 jobs among teens and young adults.
The government’s war on small businesses continues. In today’s economic environment, a small business owner has a tough enough time keeping his doors open to begin with. When you cannot afford to pay someone, that person loses their job. And now, the government wants to take away that first part time job that a young person could have. In a state the size of South Carolina, we are looking at the possibility of 6,000 young people on the streets, instead of earning money and having the chance of learning what is expected of an employee. The government is gutting the backbone of America-the small business owner.
(Click here if you'd like to read Chapman's editorial in its entirety.)
On Friday, July 24th, the minimum wage was raised from $6.55 to $7.25. According to Chapman, Professor David Newmark at the University of California at Irvine estimates that the raise will eliminate 300,000 jobs among teens and young adults. Many businesses will have to trim back their work force even more. Here is an excerpt from Chapman’s commentary:
Come Friday, the federally mandated minimum wage will jump to $7.25 an hour from $6.55 -- an 11 percent increase. At a time when employers are laying off workers, Washington is going to make it more expensive to keep them.
If you're a minimum wage employee, your job will pay more, but only if it still exists. These days, most companies are scrutinizing every position on the payroll to make sure it's worth the cost. Raise the toll, and some employees will find they are no longer valuable enough to make the cut.
Economists generally agree that increases in the minimum wage cause unemployment even when the economy is prospering -- something it has not been doing for the last year and a half. David Neumark, a professor at the University of California at Irvine, estimates this rise will destroy some 300,000 jobs among teens and young adults.
The government’s war on small businesses continues. In today’s economic environment, a small business owner has a tough enough time keeping his doors open to begin with. When you cannot afford to pay someone, that person loses their job. And now, the government wants to take away that first part time job that a young person could have. In a state the size of South Carolina, we are looking at the possibility of 6,000 young people on the streets, instead of earning money and having the chance of learning what is expected of an employee. The government is gutting the backbone of America-the small business owner.
(Click here if you'd like to read Chapman's editorial in its entirety.)
Life in the bloggisphere
Welcome to my blog site. It goes without saying my candidacy for House District 119 is very important to me and my thoughts on what's happening in the district and throughout South Carolina will be woven into future posts. But, I'd like to use this space to share my thoughts on a wide range of subjects. Some serious and some - not so much. What I really hope to do is create a blog that's worth checking out from time to time, and of course, share your comments. Social media and social networking sites are outstanding communications tools. But whether it's a conversation facilitated by web-based technology... or a simple sidewalk chat, the end result is pretty much the same. It's a chance to exchange ideas with neighbors - and get to know each other a little better.
Thank you for a night to remember
Dear friends, Please let me share with you my deep appreciation for the incredible level of support you've given to me in the opening days of the Edwards for House District 119 campaign. The weather for last week's campaign kick-off at J.B. Pivots was less than ideal but my wife Darla and I were overwhelmed by the huge crowd of family, friends and supporters - more than one hundred people - who wouldn't let the heavy rain keep them away. It was especially gratifying to see friends and supporters - some meeting for the first time - come together for an evening of fellowship and shared purpose.
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