AARP Hosts Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

COLUMBIA,SC (WOLO)- Six of the eight declared candidates for Governor of South Carolina answered a round of questions at a forum put on by AARP Wednesday evening.

Many of the candidates said its time to shake up politics in the Palmetto State.

“I want to rip out that plantation politics system and dramatically improve education,” Phil Noble (D) said.

“We need to restore integrity in your government,” Lt. Gov Kevin Bryat (R),” said. “When a law maker can sell a vote for millions of dollars and pay a thousand dollar fine,that is an invitation to corruption.”

During the forum, the candidates answered questions about issues facing seniors, saying they can provide a secure financial future.

“Get rid of the income tax on those who are 65 and over,” (R)former Lt. Governor Yancey Mcgill said.

“I think the way we do it is you look at the efforts we did with the 529 plans to help with savings for colleges,” (D) James Smith said. “We involve the banks to make sure this is a program that can be taken advantage by as many people in our state as possible. Keeping the cost low and making it accessible for small businesses and making it so more people can save.”

In a room full of potential voters,  the candidates talked about how they would protect seniors from higher electric bills in the wake of the VC Summer Project shut down.

“My duty is to see that the people of South Carolina have plenty of electric power that is inexpensive and any money that we have put into those reactors that you’re not going to get,we need to get that money back,” Governor Henry McMaster said.

“You have to freeze rates for at least 4 years while this mess gets taken care of,” (R) Catherine Templeton said. “And the public service commission that was suppose to protect us, that allowed 9 different rate increases that our utility rates are some of the highest in the nation.that has to be abolished.”

The gubernatorial Race is on November 6th.