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State trails neighbors in employment, income

Submitted by: John Warner on Dec 31, 2005 at 6:01 am Tagged with: Miscellany Source:

State trails neighbors in employment, income
As jobless rate rises, some leaders question leadership by governor, Legislature

Published: Thursday, December 29, 2005 - 6:45 am

By Ben Szobody and Tim Smith
STAFF WRITERS
bszobody@greenvillenews.com

South Carolina was on the move a decade ago with a promise of prosperity and this region's new BMW plant as a symbol of an emerging new economy.

Today the state stands weakened by the hemorrhage of 80,000 manufacturing jobs in the past five years. Unemployment rose last month to 7.1 percent, the third worst in the nation. Joblessness is worse only in the two states ravaged by hurricanes this year, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Families are living the reality of employment anxiety and incomes that have not kept pace. South Carolina's per capita income is the second worst in the region at $27,153, which is the eighth worst in the nation, according to figures examined by The Greenville News.

Some business and political leaders interviewed by the newspaper criticize Gov. Mark Sanford for what they describe as a lack of intensity, ambition and creativity in attacking the problem. The Legislature isn't spared critique.

At a time of rising unemployment, manufacturing layoffs and tougher competition for jobs from neighboring states, the General Assembly cut the budget of the state agency responsible for creating jobs, according to records examined by the newspaper.

Sanford and his chief industry recruiter said his administration has been buffeted by an unprecedented loss of manufacturing jobs to international competition. The governor compares the challenge of creating new jobs to trying to fill a leaking bucket.

Rest at The Greenville News