By Betsy Finklea
Congressman Tom Rice opened the Coastal and Pee Dee Economic Development Summit at the Florence-Darlington Technical College SIMT building on Wednesday with the federal economic outlook.
Rice said the purpose of this summit, which he hosted, was to “sharpen our focus and to lift people up.”
“Your efforts are paying off,” said Rice to the group, which was composed of many individuals who play a role in economic development in the coastal and Pee Dee areas. “I appreciate what you do,” he said. “Your hard work is bringing success.”
Rice briefly touched on tax reform, deregulation, the Dillon Inland Port, facilities such as the SIMT building, and unemployment, which he said, has been the lowest numbers in decades.
He said for example, Marion County had unemployment of 9.6 percent and now has unemployment of 5.2 percent. He said unemployment has hit a low in Marion County of 4.8 percent.
“We really are lifting people up from the top to the bottom” said Rice, who said we still have a long way to go. “We still have too many people we haven’t reached.” Said Rice, who said a job owes a lot of ills such as drugs, crime, and unstable families.
“Let’s keep our focus,” said Rice,” and reach people who haven’t been reached in decades. Everyone we bring back is a victory.”