KEVIN RYAN RECEIVES BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY ENDORSEMENT

Contact: Kevin Ryan
kevin@ryanforhouse.com
(843) 385-1242

For Immediate Release: May 18, 2010

The South Carolina Business and Industry Political Education Committee PAC (BIPECPAC) has officially endorsed the candidacy of Republican Kevin Ryan for S.C. State House District 108. BIPECPAC is a nonpartisan, statewide organization of business leaders that promotes the election of pro-business candidates to the General Assembly.

BIPECPAC and the business community view Ryan as a candidate “whose legislative endeavors will result directly in the creation of jobs and a higher standard of living for all South Carolinians.”

BIPECPAC regards the election of Kevin Ryan as a “high priority for good government and business in South Carolina.”

“I am honored to receive the endorsement of business and industry leaders from across our state,” said Ryan. “In this tough economic climate, we need to cut taxes and reduce the size of government so that business and industry can expand and grow. By getting government out of the way, we can allow businesses to create new jobs, put people back to work and grow our economy.”

Kevin Ryan is the Republican candidate for S.C. State House District 108. He faces fourteen-year incumbent Democrat Vida Miller in the November general election.

Swatzel support

Published in the May 19, 2010 edition of the Georgetown Times:

Unfortunately, Charles Smith is just wrong regarding the direction of the Georgetown County Republican Party and the actions of our chairman, Tom Swatzel.

As officers of the county GOP we approved the party’s stance against the school board deficit spending legislation that Democrat legislators tried to push through, as well as the party’s pursuit of greater school board transparency. We acted under the authority of the party executive committee.

The county GOP stands for lower taxes, limited government, less government spending, and openness and accountability, among others.

When the party can apply public pressure, through Chairman Swatzel, to hold officials accountable to our principles, we should do so.

Smith is the only member of the party executive committee that has expressed any concerns about our party’s positions or the actions of our chairman.

Indeed, all we have heard from the GOP faithful is that our chairman is doing a great job.

We have more money in the bank and more members than at any time in the party’s history. And the party has developed a high profile as being effective.

Chairman Swatzel is doing a great job and he has our complete support.

Georgetown County Republican Party

R.L. Port- Vice chairman
Howard Ward- Treasurer
Ruthann Howard- Secretary
Jill Kelso- State Committeeman
Vikky Ferris- President of Georgetown County Republican Patriot Club
Jim Jerow-President of the Waccamaw Neck Republican Club
Roland Lambert-President of Lower Georgetown County Republican Club
R.L.Port-President of the Upper Georgetown County Republican Club

http://www.gtowntimes.com/letters/Letters--May-19--2010

Tom Swatzel: School board decisions need to be more transparent

Published in the May 12, 2010 edition of the Georgetown Times

By Tom Swatzel

Republican Sen. Ray Cleary is to be commended for standing with Georgetown County taxpayers and Governor Sanford in voting to sustain the Governor’s veto of legislation that would have allowed the Georgetown County school board to use school construction bond money to fund operational deficit spending. . . Click here for the rest of the op-ed

GOP calls on Democrats to join effort to improve school board transparency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2010
Contact: Tom Swatzel (843) 222-7456

GEORGETOWN –The Georgetown County Republican Party Tuesday sent a letter to county Democratic Party Chairman Nancy Kolman urging the Democrats to join the GOP effort to get the county school board to provide taxpayers easier access to the district’s basic financial and board meeting information via the school district’s website.

“I urge the Democratic Party to publicly stand with the GOP in a bipartisan effort to help county taxpayers and parents gain access to the basic school board information that they are entitled to- factual information that is vital to all county voters, both Democrats and Republicans, in determining overall school board performance,” Georgetown County Republican Party Chairman Tom Swatzel said in his letter.
Click here to read the letter

Last month Swatzel sent a letter to school board Chairman Jim Dumm asking the board to improve transparency by posting on its website a complete school district budget, annual district financial statements and audits, an online check register, board decision documents for meeting agenda items, and the minutes of all board meetings.

The school board has taken no action on the GOP request.

“Beyond what the GOP has called for, the Democratic Party may have other worthy ideas as to what kind of information the school board should make easily accessible. We would welcome that cooperative input,” Swatzel told Kolman in his letter.

Swatzel said the school board transparency issues came to light when the county GOP tried to access school district financial information via the board’s website to better understand the motivation behind legislation sponsored by state Democratic Reps. Vida Miller and Carl Anderson that would have allowed the board to use construction bond money to fund operational deficit spending.

The bill was vetoed by Governor Sanford on April 26th and the veto was sustained in the Senate last week by a crucial vote by Republican Sen. Ray Cleary.

“The county GOP believes there must be more school board transparency, to better inform the public about the performance of the board, and ultimately increase board member accountability to the voters. We hope the Democrats are in agreement,” Swatzel said.