Greenville Magazine - August 2008 - (Page 22) from the pros Politics News with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce By John DeWorken with WYFF4 By Geoff Hart, Sports Director 2008 state House Review M T emories. Many will be made over 17 days at the Beijing Olympics. Mary Lou Retton, Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson and Michael Phelps – just a few of America’s most recent Summer Olympic greats. Who will it be this year? Phelps for one would be a good bet as he looks to break Mark Spitz’ 1972 record of seven Gold Medals in the pool at a single Olympics Games. For all the action, NBC and WYFF4 have you covered, and I mean covered! NBC will use all seven of its networks to provide 3,600 hours of coverage, 2,900 will be live and 2,200 will be live streaming Olympic broadband video. It’s considered the most ambitious media project in history, especially since the games are a half a world away in China. Two years ago, I had the opportunity to personally cover the Winter Games in Torino, Italy. I took away memories of a city entertaining the world, athletes living out their dreams and a sense of pure patriotism for the fans that made the trip to cheer on their country’s athletes. Okay, so the media food left a little to be desired, but that was offset by cool Olympic souvenirs for my children. Personally, what I love about the Olympics is watching sports I rarely watch like gymnastics, beach volleyball and yes, you can even count me in for synchronized swimming. In contrast, I may not care to watch a basketball game until there’s a medal on the line. My Olympic memories take me back to a time when sports weren’t broadcast 24/7 and families actually made a date to watch television together. I like to think that the Olympics still bring us together as we root for each athlete to deliver the performance of a lifetime that ultimately changes each's life forever. he following is a compilation of some of the most important business-related bills that the General Assembly took up this year, directly impacting the Upstate’s ability to create jobs and further its economy. on equipment located in a facility that has not been operational for the past fiscal year. Comprehensive Tax Reform The business community has called for the Legislature to take a comprehensive look at the overall tax system. Unfortunately, that issue never got any legs this year. education Endowed Chairs Though $30 million was requested, because of the tight budget this year, funding was reduced to $10 million. To learn more about these bills or how you can get involved in the Chamber’s policy-making process, contact John DeWorken at 864-905-5529. Health Care Affordable Health Insurance for Small Business Enacted by the General Assembly earlier this year, this law allows businesses of 2 to 50 employees to band together to obtain better competitive health insurance rates. Cigarette Tax Increase Passed by the House and Senate, this bill increased the state’s 7-cent (lowest in the nation) cigarette excise tax to over 50 cents per pack. The Governor vetoed the bill because it was not tax neutral and because he believed the bill expanded Medicaid. As a result, the House sustained the Governor’s veto. educatioN with The riley institute By Cathy Stevens tHe Riley iNstitute BRiNgs tHe woRld to gReeNville aNd soutH caRoliNa S economic Development Seed Capital Incentives A bill to offer tax incentives to angel investors who invest in South Carolina start-up companies was introduced this year. Although it didn’t pass, it is expected to move next year. Film Incentives The Legislature enacted a bill that moves the Film Commission over to the South Carolina Deparment of Parks, Recreation & Tourism agency, which should draw more films to the state. Permitting Process There has been a trend in South Carolina to stop any and all projects seeking permits, by putting a “stay” on the project. This bill, which was enacted in June, eliminates that trend. Any objections to projects now must be heard in court in 30 days. Facility Equipment Bill The Legislature passed a bill this year that provides that manufacturers are not required to pay property taxes ince its inception at the dawn of the 21st century, The Riley Institute at Furman has become a veritable magnet, drawing leaders from across the nation and around the world to Furman, Greenville and South Carolina. Recognizing that we all live in a rapidly globalizing world in which our students, communities, businesses and governments must be intensively and continuously informed on emerging policy issues, The Riley Institute began developing national conferences, symposia and a variety of programs to do just that. These events have attracted a remarkable array of public officials, academicians, journalists, policy specialists and political leaders whose knowledge, skills and experiences have provided essential information and crucial insights into the challenges our state faces in the competitive world of this century. During the last five years, more than 140 speakers, Fellows-in-Residence, Ambassadors-in-Residence and participants in debates and other programs of the Riley Institute have been our guests on campus or at venues around Greenville and across South Carolina. 22 Greenville MaGazine | JUlY 2008
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