Hayes faces Climer for S.C. Senate Dist. 15 seat

Two familiar names in local politics are squaring off for state senate Dist. 15 seat.

Wes Hayes, a Rock Hill native and state legislator for three decades, sees a challenge from former county Republican Party chair Wes Climer. Hayes is an attorney with three children and graduate of the United States Military at West Point who served in the South Carolina Army National Guard for 25 years. Climer, a Rock Hill native and Furman University graduate, is a financial consultant hoping to reform state politics.

Here’s a look at where both men stand on several key issues:

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

Climer: “Roads are the most important issue facing South Carolina. We have to eliminate the corruption and incompetence at SCDOT to ensure that road money is spent on priority projects, like those in fast-growing areas of York County – not politicians’ pet projects in places like Florence and Charleston. Furthermore, over the past three years, the state government has raised roughly $3 billion in surplus revenue. Instead of dedicating those surplus funds to critical priorities like roads, the Senate voted to spend it elsewhere.”

Hayes: “It is the state’s responsibility to maintain state roads. The General Assembly’s role is to provide adequate funding to do this, and it is DOT’s role to monitor the condition of the roads and prioritize the spending so that the funding is spent where needed most. This year in the General Assembly we are on the verge of passing a road bill that is a major step forward in both providing needed funding and in insuring that DOT spends the money properly. The bill will raise over $2 billion for roads and also put the SCDOT Board under the governor which will create a clear line of accountability and help ensure proper spending priorities.”

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

Climer: “The SCDOT is a disaster. On average, it currently takes over five years to build a new road, because the SCDOT is mismanaged and inefficient. The legislature needs to rewrite SCDOT’s procedures for roadwork and conduct rigorous oversight to ensure that projects are completed as quickly as possible.”

Hayes: “We must first address our aging existing infrastructure (roads and bridges) before spending any additional funds on new roads. Also, the legislature should work closely with SCDOT to insure that all unneeded regulations are removed so that new roads are not delayed. Finally, the Legislature can look at ways to finance roads through bonds that maximizes the funds up front so that roads can be built quicker.”

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

Climer: “Because South Carolina’s tax code is among the least economically competitive in the country, incentives are a necessary Band-Aid to attract and retain jobs. Ultimately, we need fundamental tax reform to ensure that South Carolina becomes a more jobs-friendly state.”

Hayes: “ I believe it is right for South Carolina to incentivize new and existing companies to create more new jobs. Two key factors that should be used in determining whether or not to use state incentives are the number and the quality of the jobs created. The state should ensure, however, that if the business doesn’t create the jobs they promised, that the incentives are returned to the state.”

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

Climer: “We need comprehensive tax reform that closes special interest loopholes and provides for broad tax relief. Additionally, the multiple billions of dollars in surplus revenue that South Carolina collects should be dedicated to road funding.”

Hayes: “The primary source of state revenue are income taxes and sales taxes, and these generally go up and down with the economy. By becoming a business friendly state that attracts new business and allows existing business to grow, the state will maximize its income potential, which in turn will allow us to deal with our critical needs. Also, we should look at streamlining our tax code. A cleaner tax code with less regulation will encourage new development.”

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

Climer: “At the local level, the county can be more careful about the pace and scope of development. The state’s job is to ensure that roads, bridges and critical infrastructure projects are available to serve its citizens. The legislature’s failure to do this is why I decided to run for the Senate.”

Hayes: “The high growth areas like York County are the parts of the state that are creating the jobs and creating the tax revenue that supports the rest of the state. If we neglect the high growth areas, all areas of the state will suffer. Also, by forming groups such as the I-77 Alliance, we can get rural and urban counties working together on economic development goals.”

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

Climer: “Unlike Mr. Hayes, I would not have voted to raise legislators’ pay, nor would I have voted to receive a special, separate legislative pension. When Gov. Haley vetoes pork projects, Mr. Hayes has voted to override her vetoes 87 percent of the time, whereas I would vote to cut wasteful spending.”

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

Hayes: “ I played an important role in the Senate passing a road bill that I discussed; that is a major step forward in dealing with our road needs in South Carolina. We have also passed two ethics bills that I have been fighting for for years. One bill will provide independent oversight of the ethics complaints made against members of the general assembly. The second would require disclosure of all sources of income for elected officials. Finally, I led the effort to do away with Common Core and replace it with state education standards in South Carolina.”

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

Climer: “My values are not for sale.”

Hayes: “ It all goes back to a set of principles I learned while a cadet at West Point – public service is about duty, honor and country. On social issues, I believe a legislator should remain true to his or her core principles and do what is right. If it is not clear what is morally right or there is more than one way to deal with the issue morally, then public opinion and economic impacts should be considered and some type of balance sought.”

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

Climer: “After creating a special, separate pension system for themselves, the Senate has overseen the destruction of the pension system for other state employees. The $11 billion pension shortfall is a major concern to thousands of teachers, firefighters and police officers and must be addressed very quickly to ensure the problem doesn’t get worse. As a financial advisor by profession, I’m well prepared to lead the effort to reform the state pension and protect taxpayers in the process.”

Hayes: “How we deal with mental illness in our courts and in our prisons is a major issue that needs to be addressed and that is not being discussed a great deal. Also, the high number of seniors living in South Carolina that need public assistance. The higher medical and nursing home costs will dramatically affect our state budget moving forward.”

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Hayes faces Climer for S.C. Senate Dist. 15 seat."