Gov. Sanford Announces Business Climate Award, March Jobs Report
Press Release
Gov. Sanford Announces Business Climate Award, March Jobs Report
SC LAUDED FOR BEING BUSINESS-FRIENDLY, GOVERNOR REPORTS MORE THAN 900 JOBS CREATED IN MARCH
After South Carolina was named America's Most Business Friendly State by a nationally renowned corporate site relocation expert, Gov. Mark Sanford today reported on South Carolina's job creation progress during the month of March.
Pollina Corporate Real Estate, Inc., publisher of the independent yearly report, cited a number of factors in its decision to name our state the country's most business-friendly for the second year in a row, including workforce training programs and the caliber of the Department of Commerce. According to the Pollina report, "From A to Z, South Carolina understands economic development and is clearly making the effort to continue its attractiveness to business. When it comes to economic development, it is a state that other states should emulate."
Gov. Sanford said today that month to date, the Department of Commerce has assisted in the creation of 935 jobs in March and the recruitment of $152 million in capital investment - totals comprised of the announcements of Guardian Industries in Fairfield County, South Financial Group in Greenville County, and Mergent, Inc. in York County. Year to date, the Department of Commerce has recruited 2,973 jobs and $558 million in investment to the state - totals that do not yet include Duke Energy's recently-announced proposal to construct a new power facility in Cherokee County that would bring an estimated 800 jobs and $4 billion to $6 billion in investment.
"While this honor and this recent progress are certainly good news, I believe the far more telling number is the fact that there are nearly 112,000 more South Carolinians working than there were three years ago - meaning we've outpaced two-thirds of the nation in percentage job growth over that time period," Gov. Sanford said. "Ultimately, our goal is to continue on this job creation pace, and that means continuing to work toward a more competitive business climate with lower taxes, less government spending and changes like reforming workers' compensation."
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