‘Labor unions are a relic’ and other quotable moments from SC governor’s visit to Hilton Head
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott were keynote speakers at the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the Region banquet on Hilton Head Island.
The event, which was held Friday afternoon at the Hilton Head Marriott Resort and Spa, also featured pre-recorded interviews with Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka, Beaufort County Council Chairman Paul Sommerville and Hilton Head Mayor David Bennett. Two local high school seniors then introduced the governor and senator.
Here are some of the highlights, both from the videos and the live speeches.
Gov. Henry McMaster
McMaster painted an optimistic picture of the state of South Carolina, both now and for the future, albeit with some eye-catching remarks.
“Labor unions are a relic of the past,” he said. “If there’s so much communication and collaboration and home management, there’s a lot of old things falling by the wayside and new things taking the place of them.”
The governor, who is up for re-election and his first to a full term next month, added that the people of South Carolina are trustworthy and the rest of the country sees that.
“South Carolina is a ‘handshake state,’” he said. “That means when someone from South Carolina gives you their word and shakes your hand, you can take it to the bank ... They’re speaking about everybody in this room.”
After the event concluded, The Island Packet asked McMaster if he still stood by his decision to issue and rescind a mandatory evacuation order for the Lowcountry during the buildup to Hurricane Florence.
“The evacuation order was tentatively issued for the whole coast but never was issued for this part of the coast based on what we saw coming,” he said. “Our rule was and always will be, ‘We’re not going to gamble with a single life.’ As soon as we saw there’s a danger, we acted. As soon as you saw the danger receding, we acted.”
Sen. Tim Scott
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott praised some of the Republican Party’s achievements on the federal level, particularly since President Donald J. Trump took office.
However, in light of bombs sent to several high-profile Democrat politicians and activists throughout the week, Scott took the time to speak out on a need for bipartisanship and invoked New Jersey Democrat Sen. Cory Booker, whom Scott called a “close friend.”
“Whether it’s black or white, Republican or Democrat, whether it’s 10 packages of bombs going to the people who opposed one philosophical position ... We need more people, whether they’re Democrats or Republicans, that believe in the future of our country,” he said. “(Booker) and I don’t agree on the issues but I agree that he loves this country.”
He added that accountability is also more important than ever, but even with that accountability comes the privilege of being from the Palmetto State.
“Every now and then, we have to be reminded that there are consequences to our actions,” he said. “Sometimes, the consequences are very positive. Sometimes, they can be very negative. But as Americans — as South Carolinians — we should look ahead to the future. We won the lottery ... of American citizenship.”
Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka
“We’re focusing on all parts (of Bluffton), all 54 square miles,” she said. Although the interview was filmed in Old Town, Sulka emphasized that Bluffton has expanded beyond the one square mile of Old Town to the western edge of Beaufort County.
Sulka added, “Buckwalter Place will be the new version of Old Town,” emphasizing the rapid growth in New Riverside in particular. She said the area’s hub with shops, a park and potential local government offices will see another central area at which Bluffton residents can visit and shop.
Beaufort County Council Chairman Paul Sommerville
In addition to touting Beaufort County’s draw for IT and software workers, Sommerville homed in on two specific issues: the county administrator search and affordable housing.
“Where will we take the (results of the) study?” Sommerville said. “We’ll look at the elements of affordable housing. Impact fees jump off the page (as an area to focus on).”
Concerning the recent strife with finding a permanent county administrator, Sommerville spoke optimistically.
“We’re going to succeed,” he said. “(The county’s) well on its way.”
Hilton Head Mayor David Bennett
Speaking on the workforce available to Hilton Head, Bennett said he considered employees to be “highly qualified” and “professional.”
Nevertheless, he said there’s work to be done.
“We must shape the workforce, and we may fall short (at times),” he said.
This story was originally published October 26, 2018 at 4:45 PM.