Agriculture and the rest of us According to S.C. forester Gene Kodama and the Palmetto Institute, the average per capita income for S.C. agriculture workers is $46,000. The average per capita income for all South Carolinians is $34,000. Agriculture, forestry, and associated industries support more than 200,000 jobs in S.C.

Foreclosures According to RealtyTrac, a national real estate tracking firm, foreclosures between September and October were down in almost every S.C. county. Foreclosures decreased almost 11 percent in the past month; but for the past year, from October 2008 to October 2009, there was a year–to–year increase of a bit more than 42 percent.

Cosmetologists offer a helping hand The Wella Professionals School of Cosmetology in northeast Richland County recently partnered with In–Vest USA to supply law enforcement officers with body armor. Through February 17, 2010, Wella will donate $5 per haircut, hair coloring, or chemical services to In–Vest upon the request from the customer. Wella is located at 105 Sparkleberry Crossing, 227.6781.

Clemson business, graduate and undergraduate Clemson University’s graduate business program is collaborating with the IESEG School of Management in France to offer a dual–degree in business administration and international business. The Clemson graduate business campus is moving to downtown Greenville overlooking the Reedy River falls, where students will spend one year, and the other year will be in Paris. Upon graduation, the students earn both Clemson’s MBA and IESEG’s master’s of international business. Also, Clemson’s College of Business and Behavioral Science has created a double–degree undergraduate program in international business among three universities in three countries: Aarthus School of Business in Denmark, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid in Spain, and Clemson.

The truth of the fact is... the outrageous taxes The Tax South Carolina Realignment Commission (TRAC) heard last week from its chairman, Bernie Maybank, who said S.C. ranked 25th five years ago for worst residential property tax in the country. Now, he said, it’s the worst overall in the U.S. In commercial property tax, S.C. is ninth worst in the country.

Unemployed According to the Homebuilders Association of S.C., the state’s top five counties in high unemployment for September were Allendale (22.5%), Chester (21.1%), Marion (21.0%), Union (20.6%), and Marlboro (20.2%). The lowest unemployment was in Lexington (8.3%), Beaufort (8.7%), Charleston (9.0%), Saluda (9.4%), and Aiken (9.4%). Across the state, the unadjusted unemployment rate, according to the S.C. Board of Economic Advisors, is 11.7%; but counting those citizens who are experiencing an underemployed phase or are putting looking for work on hold, maybe more than 20 percent of the work force is unemployed, close to 500,000 unemployed. Using the same criteria for the country as a whole, about 17.5 percent are unemployed or underemployed, which is a recent record. Before now, the record number of unemployed combined with the underemployed was 17.1 percent of the workforce in December 1982.

Employed According to the S.C. State Housing Finance and Development Authority, the national homebuyer credit extension signed into law by President Obama on Friday, November 6, carries five major features. The bill will (1) extend the current $8,000 credit until April 30 for first–time homebuyers; (2) create a new $6,500 tax credit for buyers who have lived in primary residences for at least five consecutive years out of the last eight; (3) require homebuyers to enter into contracts to purchase their homes by April 30 and close by June 30; (4) expand income eligibility to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples; and (5) exclude homes with purchase prices exceeding $800,000. Contact S.C. State Housing, 896.9520.

Cuts and more cuts South Carolina’s Board of Economic Advisors in the past week recommended the state’s budget be cut by another $131 million down to $5.61 billion. Later, to imagine matters even worse, Governor Sanford held a budget meeting, warning all present, “When the federal stimulus funds come to an end, you will be looking at a $920 million shortfall.”

S.C.’s Sen. Graham joins forces with Georgia’s Sen. Chambliss to sponsor “loser pays” medical malpractice bill Lawyer Graham introduced legislation Monday, November 9, requiring losing plaintiffs in medical malpractice lawsuits to pay legal costs for both sides. Their bill should reduce the number of frivolous medical malpractice suits and it should work as a key to health care reform, reducing costs across the board. Graham said, “When both parties in a lawsuit are subject to financial penalty, people think longer and harder about bringing a questionable case forward.”