Ken Price looks to unseat S.C. Sen. Harvey Peeler in District 14 race

Harvey Peeler and Charles “Ken” Price have a fair bit in common, including a desire to represent S.C. Sen. Dist. 14.

Peeler, 67, of Gaffney is a U.S. Army veteran and Shriner. He has represented Dist. 14 since 1981 and served as the Senate Majority Leader for 11 years. In a surprise announcement earlier this spring, the dairy farmer announced he was stepping down to focus on the rare primary challenge for the seat he’s held for 36 years and wanted to share leadership responsibilities in the Senate.

Price, 52, of Boiling Springs is a long-time advocate for veterans and knows Shriner efforts well, having had more than a dozen Shriners Hospital operations as he battles cerebral palsy.

Both want to bring new jobs to South Carolina. Both want roads built faster.

Both took time to answer a few questions on how they plan to serve the area if elected June 14.

Q. What should the state’s role be in maintaining state roads and, funding-wise, how do we get there?

A:

Peeler: State roads are certainly the responsibility of the state. The state of South Carolina maintains one of the largest highway systems in the country. The state took them over when cities and counties were not able to maintain them. Funding has been at the front of debate in the General Assembly for several years. Hopefully we are on the right track with the bill the Senate adopted. We will fund $200 million, which will then be bonded for $2.2 billion. This money will be used for existing roads – to add additional lanes to our interstates and to properly maintain the roads we have.

Price: My view on repairing state roads is, we don’t need to up the state gas tax to 10 cents. They said if we up the state tax on gas 10 cents a gallon, we could fix every road. Here would be my proposal. Let’s do away with the road tax. Let’s do away with income tax and property tax and pay a straight 15 percent sales tax. That’s 5 percent more than they need to fix the roads.

Q. What role, if any, should the Legislature play in reducing how long it takes to build new roads?

A:

Peeler: No one is more frustrated with the time it takes the Department of Transportation to build or expand a road than me. Look how long we waited for Highway 5. We are still waiting on the first load of asphalt to widen I-85. We need to stay behind our Transportation Commissioners – stay behind the director of DOT and her staff. We do not need to micro-manage DOT but we do not need to sit idly by either.

Price: From the time that proposal for a new road is proposed, that road should be started within 90 days. I’ve lived on Parris Bridge Road my 52 years. I’ve seen this road paved one time. If they don’t start the roads and bridges within 90 days, we hold all funding until the road is complete.

Q. To what extent should state tax incentives be used to attract new business? What industries should be incentivized?

A:

Peeler: The governor and the Department of Commerce have done a great job of attracting new business to South Carolina. Tax incentives are necessary to compete with other states, but we can’t be too generous to new businesses and overlook the existing companies who have been here for years.

Price: On businesses, they need to bring in businesses that are going to hire veterans. Especially veterans that are in wheelchairs. There is a bill, No. 704, in the state legislature. I gave them that bill five years ago, it’ll be six years. I laid that bill out for them. I told them how to fund that bill. That bill would allow veterans and people in wheelchairs to be able to apply for grants, and it would involve in-state taxes. If you start a business in South Carolina, that money stays in South Carolina.

Q. What revenue source (tax increases, tax structure reform, new industry, etc.) offers the most growth potential toward funding critical state needs?

A:

Peeler: I think we need multiple revenue sources – new industry, job growth, tourism and budget every penny we spend wisely.

Price: I believe that – now I’m not a doctor and I’m not licensed to practice medicine – but from what I’ve read there are all sorts of medical uses associated with marijuana. From this marijuana they extract an oil from it. From everything that I’ve read, anyone having seizures can use this oil and they can reduce the amount of seizures they have. In Colorado they’ve done this. The revenue from that, the average sale from a license per year for someone to sell it wholesale or resale, is $300,000.

Q. What strategies would you use to advocate for high-growth, urbanizing areas of the district at the state level when so many legislators represent far different demographics?

A:

Peeler: Senate District 14 covers western York County. Even that part of York County has different demographics. The best strategy is to listen to the people – hear their concerns, their needs.

Price: If you go to Union County, Union County does not have the growth like Spartanburg does. When Union County lost the Disney store down there, they need industry down there. They need jobs down there. We need some industry down going toward that way to help them grow. We’ve got a new tire industry coming (to Spartanburg County), supposedly, in 2018. We need more jobs in rural areas.

Q. What specific issue(s) faced by the incumbent would you have handled or voted differently, and why?

A:

Price: I would have looked at the bill of legalizing marijuana for medical use only. From what I have understood or have been told, my opponent never even looked at the bill. They didn’t realize that would take so much tax off the people of South Carolina. I would have voted to legalize marijuana, only for medical use.

Q. What specific accomplishment(s) during your current term would you point to illustrating how you’ve served constituent interests?

A:

Peeler: Several things come to mind. We worked hard on the Highway 5 widening project. I listened and heard that folks in western York County wanted a boat ramp. I have been working with the Department of Natural Resources to get a boat ramp on S.C. 211 at the Broad River. DNR and York County have signed a contract and that boat ramp should be under construction soon. Lake Wylie is a jewel – and the Lake Wylie Visitors Center does a great job in promoting this area. I will continue to support the operation of that center. I am a strong and effective voice for western York County and the entire Senate District.

Q. Should a controversial social issue arise, how should a legislator balance local public opinion versus possible economic harm from outside interests?

A:

Peeler: I was elected to the South Carolina Senate by the people in District 14. It is my pleasure to represent them – and I hope to continue to represent them. As I said earlier, I will listen to them – to my constituents.

Price: Where companies said they’re going to pull out (of North Carolina over HB2), my views on this did not change. If you are a male, you use a male restroom. If you’re a female, you use a female restroom. If you have gone as far as having the operations and you are a full male or female, you use the restroom of your gender. My views wouldn’t change.

Q. What’s a major issue you’d expect to face in this office that people aren’t talking about now?

A:

Peeler: Water and sewer infrastructure.

Price: The bill 704 is very important to me, because I want to see veterans have jobs. I have been one person fighting for this for 28 years. I have reached out to every sitting president that has been in the White House since George H.W. Bush. I reached out to Donald Trump and spoke to him one-on-one, gave him my information. Whoever the next president is, they need to make the funds available so that everybody has the opportunity to either gain experience through a vocational school, be able to get a job or be able to start their own business.

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 10:52 PM with the headline "Ken Price looks to unseat S.C. Sen. Harvey Peeler in District 14 race."