Editorial
A most important election for many people in Aiken County will take place on Tuesday. On that day the Republican primary for District 81 of the S.C. House of Representatives will decide the person who will represent greater Aiken in the State House.
In what has been a heated campaign, four candidates are vying for the favor of voters in the seat currently occupied by Rep. Skipper Perry. Unlike many elected position in which opposition is hard to find, House seat 81 has gained the attention of four good men. Any of the four would do a creditable job, and all four have qualifications that endear them to some voters.
All of them have spent their whole lives or considerable portion of them living in Aiken, learning about the needs within our community.
Brad Boni went through the public schools of Aiken County and returned here following law school to establish a career and life for his family.
John Kelly has worked at Savannah River Site and in the business world of Aiken County for a number of years. He serves as a volunteer firefighter.
Scott Singer has devoted much of his adult life to serving his community and has been an able member of Aiken County Council.
Tom Young Jr. grew up in Aiken and also returned to his hometown to practice law and raise his family.
All four promise to take some of the core values near and dear to Republicans to Columbia – limiting taxes and spending, investing in economic development and ending pork barrel spending.
Education is the area on which there is the greatest difference, and that is the one area that is key to this election. Education is the key to the future of our state and must be at the top of every legislator’s agenda. One candidate stands above the others in his adamant pursuit of a better education system for all South Carolina children – Tom Young Jr. While the other candidates either favor voucher legislation or hold vouchers as a possibility for state funding, only Mr. Young vociferously opposes vouchers and public money going to provide private school or home school education.
Mr. Young believes that all South Carolina children deserve a quality education. The other candidates align themselves with Gov. Sanford, who he has shown himself to be ineffective in working toward consensus with the Legislature and his efforts to improve public education in South Carolina have been almost non-existent.
Add to Mr. Young’s position on education his platform to stress economic development and job creation, and we have the person who will do well in representing the citizens of Aiken and District 81.
Published in the Aiken Standard
Editorial Board
6/10/08
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