Election Q&A: Candidates for House 79

The winner in next month’s primary will run in the November general election against Democrat Anton Gunn for House 79, which includes portions of Northeast Richland and Kershaw County.

Incumbent Rep. Bill Cotty is retiring.

Why are you running?

Sheri Few: I am running for public office because I am being obedient to the call on my life. God has been preparing me for as long as I can remember to fulfill this calling. My father taught me at a young age to have a strong affinity for my country and a great sense of patriotism, and this is why I will work hard to defend those who have sacrificed for our freedoms. My motivation also entails a vision of improved quality of life for the citizens of South Carolina, which includes lower taxes, fewer government regulations and less government intrusion. I believe statistics like state government growing at a rate of 41 percent in the past three years are a startling wake-up call, a mandate for true conservative leadership. As State Representative, I will fight to get our state back on the right track.

Herndon: I’m running because, first, the reformers in the Legislature need an ally. As a businessman, I believe the same sound principles that make a business run well — low overhead, fresh, new ideas and an insistence on results — can also make government run well. I want to reform and restructure state government so that it runs as efficiently and effectively as possible and tax dollars are put to their best possible use. My goal is simple: I want to give our community the absolute best representation in the entire state. And I believe I have the energy, the enthusiasm, the work ethic and the dedication to do that.

Lamm: During my 10 years in engineering and 30 years in operations management in paper manufacturing, I was always working five or more days per week about 20-30 miles from home in remote locations. After retiring from the paper industry in 2006, I went into financial services to help educate individuals how to become debt free and save money for retirement. Semi-retirement has offered me the time to be able to give back to a community that has given me so much. I can help more people, in more aspects of their lives, by serving in the House. After discussing it with my family and friends, I decided to run.

Which issues are the most important issues in your district?

Few: House 79 encompasses the immediate suburbs of Northeast Columbia to the small towns of western Kershaw County, each with their own needs. We must make sure our community has a bright future by continuing to support positive education reforms to improve schools. I believe practices like making sure school funding stays in the classroom and promoting incentives for teachers to work harder will ensure our schools make the grade. Also, as a small business owner, I know that local business can best help local folks. I believe we must create pro-business environment to encourage business growth and entrepreneurship. With lower taxes and less government intrusion, we can bring economic opportunity to our community.

Herndon: The people of Northeast Richland and Kershaw counties are good, decent folks. They work hard for their money, and they want to be able to keep as much of it as possible. So obviously, reducing the tax burden is important, and fighting for the taxpayers will be my top priority. As a fiscally conservative Republican, I am committed to the principles of low taxes and reduced spending. Of course, a major part of reducing the tax burden is reforming government. It’s time to change the way government operates, to streamline and restructure the current system so that our tax dollars are used as efficiently as possible. And of course, education is a major concern. If we are to adequately confront the other challenges we face — including economic development and reducing the tax burden — we must improve our public schools.

Lamm: Economic development is one of the most important issues. Our infrastructure is lagging behind growth. This includes improving our roads, sewers and water systems be able to handle future growth. Education is directly connected with economic development. Over 90 percent of our children in South Carolina attend public schools, and I want to continue to improve the performance of our public schools.

Our state is 42nd on the poverty scale nationwide. We need to attract and retain higher paying and quality jobs to ensure our state will be competitive in the future. Another key issue is public safety. And we all need to work closely together to reduce illegal drugs and gangs, while proactively deterring our children from such activities.

Which issues do you think are the most important issues facing South Carolina?

Few: Although controlled by Republicans, the State House is seemingly more and more out of touch with conservative voters. This can best be seen with out-of-control government spending and the failure to pass strict illegal immigration reform. In the State House, I will begin by reining in the cost of government through restructuring and instituting spending caps. I will cut wasteful spending to make way for substantial tax relief for working families and seniors. Also, South Carolina can no longer support the burden of illegal immigration. I will fight to end illegal immigration by supporting a comprehensive plan requiring the use of the national E-Verify system as well as allowing for penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Herndon: My campaign will focus on the four issues I consider the most pressing facing the state: Reforming state government, reducing the tax burden, improving South Carolina’s public schools, and economic development.

Lamm: Economic development and education are interrelated issues we need to improve to ensure our quality of life. Government efficiency of managing the use of our taxpayer dollars is a critical issue. We need to analyze state government expenditures to see what to reduce and/or eliminate so we can increase and/or add more important expenditures without increasing overall taxes.