Ways and Means funds business recruitment, water/sewer grants, resilience and tourism marketing

Representative Stabenakis presented the economic‑development subcommittee’s priorities, focusing on job creation, water and sewer infrastructure, agribusiness support, disaster relief and investments in hospitality and tourism.

Key lines cited included continued funding for Locate SC (the state’s business‑recruitment program), about $20,000,000 in additional funding for the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) to support water and sewer grants, $7,000,000 in new investments for agribusiness initiatives and recurring funding to raise park, recreation and tourism employee pay to at least $35,000 annually. The presenter also cited a $14,000,000 appropriation for statewide marketing programs and $10,000,000 for high‑impact cultural events and attractions.

Resilience and disaster recovery: the Office of Resilience was highlighted for coordinating housing recovery after Hurricane Helene; the presenter said the office had made more than 2,600 contacts to assist residents and was coordinating local disaster case management and housing recovery work.

Why it matters: investments are framed as preserving the state’s growth and competitiveness, supporting county economic development offices and preparing for future storms by replenishing resiliency reserve funds. The presenter said RIA has administered substantial grants and loans since 2013 and that all 46 counties have received grants since 2015.

The presentation was informational; final appropriation language will be determined on the floor.