Letters to the editor

Lawmakers right to help farmers

I believe the Senate and House voted in favor of the well-being of South Carolina citizens when they collectively decided to provide aid to the farmers of our state.

Supporting existing industries is vital to ensuring the economic health of South Carolina. The S.C. Department of Agriculture states that agribusiness contributes $41.7 billion to the economy of our state. This makes it the largest industry in South Carolina. The citizens of South Carolina cannot afford the consequences of a crippled agribusiness industry.

Agribusiness is responsible for employing over 10 percent of the workforce in South Carolina by offering 212,530 jobs. This keeps hundreds of thousands of hard-working citizens out of the unemployment office, helping ensure their basic needs are met.

Likewise, aiding farmers helps the consumer by keeping food prices down.

We need to re-evaluate the present policies on farm insurance. Before another catastrophic event happens, regulation changes to the requirements and distribution of farm insurance are needed.

The people of South Carolina need to stand up against economic injustices in our state even when it is against large industries.

Amber Paige

Rock Hill

Sen. Hayes puts service over self

I am writing to give a massive endorsement to our state Sen. Wes Hayes so that he can continue his fine service to the citizens of York County. As a school board member, I have had the opportunity to work with Wes Hayes many times, and I cannot imagine what it would be like to not have a man of his caliber fighting for us in Columbia.

I have talked to many leaders around our state and whenever his name comes up, they all talk about how much he is respected in our Legislature. He is not just your ordinary politician, but a true statesman. Sen. Hayes has never sought political fame or personal profit from his position, but serves to make South Carolina a better place to work and live.

Most citizens do not know much about how our Legislature functions, and if they did they would be shocked. There only 46 senators in the Senate, and power across our state lies primarily in the areas of Charleston, Columbia and Greenville. Thanks to the seniority that Sen. Hayes enjoys, our local concerns are not easily drowned out by other, more powerful parts of our state.

Sen. Hayes is an Eagle Scout, a proud graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, and a U.S. Army veteran. The ideals he learned from these experiences have helped guide him as he serves the citizens of our county. He is always “service above self” and is willing to listen to varying viewpoints.

Please remember to go out and vote on June 14, and vote for our Sen. Wes Hayes!

Patrick White

Chairman, Fort Mill school board

This story was originally published May 29, 2016 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Letters to the editor."