Staff Report
Published Oct. 15, 2009

Gov. Mark Sanford announced Wednesday that the Unemployment Roundtable Discussion hosted by the governor’s office and the Department of Commerce will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Room 252 of the Edgar Brown Building on the Statehouse grounds in Columbia.

“Given the need for reform at the Employment Security Commission, an Unemployment Insurance Fund deficit approaching $1 billion and a potentially harmful tax increase on our business community, I believe it’s important we all learn more about what might be changed in the present system,” Sanford said.

“It’s time we partner together to avoid simply raising taxes up to $567 per employee on our state’s businesses, and instead find alternatives — proactive alternatives that provide more in the way of accountability and better connect those looking for work with job opportunities.”

Speakers will include:

• Sen. Greg Ryberg
• Rep. Kenny Bingham
• John Rainey, chairman of the Board of Economic Advisors
• Rebecca Gunnlaugsson, S.C. Department of Commerce
• John Stephen and Jay Lucas, The Lucas Group
• Barry Russell, president of S.C. Technical College System
• Ted Halley, S.C. Employment Security Commission
• Nita Colman, Worklink, Anderson, Oconee and Pickens County OneStops
• Peggy Torrey, deputy secretary for Workforce Development

For more information or to confirm attendance, contact Leigh LeMoine at 803-734-006 or via e-mail.