Jim Rex

Campaign News

Sue Rex brings “At the Table” series to Beaufort, Jasper counties on Monday

(COLUMBIA) — Sue Rex, wife of gubernatorial candidate Jim Rex, announced today that she will bring her statewide “At the Table” tour to Beaufort and Jasper counties on Monday, April 26. The series, featuring roundtable discussions with South Carolina women regarding issues affecting them and their families, is aimed at providing a place for women, who comprise 51.3 percent of South Carolina’s population, to be heard.

“As I have traveled the state with Jim in recent months in this race for Governor, my heart has been touched by the women who need someone to listen to their concerns and speak up for them in Columbia. They are worried about finding good jobs, getting quality health care, paying for child care, and so much more. I hope that I can be a sounding board to bring their concerns back to Columbia and provide a voice for them,” said Rex.

The schedule is as follows:

Noon
Gullah Grub
877 Sea Island Parkway, St Helena

6:00 p.m.
Beaufort/Jasper Water Authority Conference Room
6 Snake Road, Okatie

South Carolina ranks fiftieth in the nation in women elected to public office. And, according to a 2008 report by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the Palmetto State ranks in the bottom third of states on women’s earnings, educational attainment, and poverty. African-American women earn little more than half of what white men earn in the state and half as likely to hold a four-year college degree as white women.

Learn more about Sue Rex>>

Posted originally in the People Sentinel.
By Susan Delk – Staff Writer

Even though voters recently chose local school board candidates, issues with county schools are still on the minds of some voters as they look forward to the gubernatorial primary elections.

Those issues are also on one gubernatorial candidate’s mind.

Jim Rex, the state’s Superintendent of Education, has thrown his hat into the ring of competitors for the state’s highest office.

Sue Rex is campaigning across the state for her husband through small lunches that target women and the issues important to them.

“I’m here to have a conversation with you,” Sue Rex said. “He’s (Jim Rex) asked me to go around the state and meet with women to see what issues affect them.”

Rex visited Miller’s Bread Basket in Blackville, April 16 to hold a local luncheon.

Although the topics of conversation ranged from issues in the new industries to litter along the county roadways, the main issue discussed was the public schools in the county.

Bet Benson asked what Jim Rex thought of equitable funding for school districts.

“This is one of the major reasons Jim is running for governor,” Sue Rex said.

In the next fiscal year, schools will be back to the level of funding they received in 1995 and Jim has several ideas to raise revenue, Sue Rex said.

One of the ideas is to raise the state cigarette tax to the national average, which would generate $250 million extra dollars, she said.

He would then like to put half of those funds into education, she said.

“He wants to see the same amount of money for each child no matter what their district,” she said of the equitable funding proposal.

Dr. Teresa Pope, superintendent of the Blackville-Hilda School district said even then – schools would not get equal funding.

Pope said some districts have local industries that create a tax base to help schools.

Sue Rex said her husband also wants to bring additional industries to rural areas to increase that local tax base.

Rex said her husband also would like share the tax base of large industries across the state with all counties so that everyone can benefit.

“We can’t have islands of prosperity while we are sinking elsewhere,” she said.

She said Rex would also start a marketing plan for South Carolina to attract industry.

Lynn Cox, the community and tourism director for the city of Barnwell asked about behavior problems in schools.

Rex said her husband would like to build on skills teachers already have by providing additional training on discipline issues as well as have them work in teams to teach students.

“When first-year teachers come on board, they can learn from master teachers in the team,” she said.