Four vie for House 122 nomination

When Curtis Brantley defeated incumbent Thayer Rivers for the House district 122 Democratic nomination in 2006, Rivers claimed Brantley ousted him because he had financial help from supporters of private schools. Last week, Rivers again brought up the private school issue, saying Brantley's actions in the legislature showed he was willing to repay the favor.

The Democratic primary is Tuesday.

"(Brantley) was an honest man -- when you buy him, he stays bought," Rivers said Tuesday. "The only bill he's introduced of any substance in two years would take money from public schools and give it to private schools."

Rivers was referring to House bill 3484, sponsored by Brantley and 41 other representatives in February 2007, which would provide tax credits for parents who pay school tuition for their children.

"My position is that all children should be educated with the exception of none," said Brantley, who worked in education for 35 years, including as superintendent of Jasper County schools. "We should not just give a segment of our population a quality education, we should give all children a quality education."

Improving education is a top priority for Brantley, who also said he is working hard to bring quality jobs -- not "menial" jobs -- to his district. And when the jobs come to his district, he wants students who have been given a "global education" ready to step into those positions.

Other priorities include providing affordable health care for seniors and preparing the district for development and growth, which Brantley said is coming "with or without our permission."

Rivers, meanwhile, has made it his mission to control the growth that has taken its toll on Bluffton and other areas of Beaufort County and is now taking hold in Jasper County.

"The quality of life is disintegrating right around us because of so much growth, and not well-planned, well-thought-out growth," Rivers said. "I've been trying to beat the drum for orderly growth down here."

Rivers, for instance, spearheaded a petition drive to force a referendum that will be held in July, which would stop Ridgeland from annexing any land for at least two years.Slowing growth would also help solve another major issue, Rivers said: the need for new roads and road repairs, with no state or federal money available.

"Counties get nailed for the cost of roads and schools (when there's growth)," Rivers said. "The solution to the roads problem is to stop explosive growth."

Obtaining money for roads would be a priority for challenger R. Keith Horton, who said the district is not getting its fair share.

"I'm tired of all the money for roads and stuff going Upstate," he said. "If I believe in something, I'll stand up and push the issue until we get what we need. ... There's no way I could be any less effective than what we're getting."

In addition to failing to secure money for his district, Horton said Brantley has been ineffective at bringing in high-paying jobs.

"The amenities we have to offer business and industry is better than the middle of the state," he said, pointing to Jasper County's industrial park and its access to I-95 and rail transportation. "Everything's going Upstate because we're not being looked out for."

He added that bringing good jobs to the district would eliminate the need for residents to drive to Hilton Head Island for employment, thereby providing more family time for parents and consequently improving education for children.

Horton also said he would focus on eliminating benefits such as public education and health care for illegal immigrants.

"There are seniors in our district who worked their whole life and can't get medical care, but illegal immigrants, from day one, can get medical care," he said. "We need to protect our state borders and restructure laws and put it where if you're illegal ... you can't get the benefits of school and (medical care)."

Libbie Henry-Green also pledged to focus on illegal immigrants, but her plans call for action to protect them.

"We need to incorporate their contributions and need to help them adjust because when they come here, regardless of legal status, they are confronted with so many new challenges," she said.

Henry-Green said illegal immigrants are being robbed at "alarming rates" across the state because criminals target illegal immigrants, who often carry large amounts of cash because they cannot open a bank account. She added that no resident, regardless of legal status, should be denied the right to drive a car.

South Carolina also needs a statewide initiative to provide health insurance to all residents, Henry-Green said. The need is particularly urgent for the children of people who do not qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford insurance, she said.

Like her opponents, Henry-Green said there is a need to improve education in her district. She specifically called for creation of an early education program for 3-year-olds.

"My (4-year-old) son attends a private religious school, and he can quote Scriptures and read short passages with three- or four-letter words," she said. "A (daily) three- to four-hour publicly mandated program would benefit 3-year-olds enormously."