The Greenville News Endorses Eric Bedingfield for House District 28

 

October 24, 2008 - Incumbent Republican Eric Bedingfield, who served on Greenville County Council before being elected to the House in 2006, faces Democratic challenger Jonathan David Smith on Nov. 4. Bedingfield has carved out a leadership role as a one of the most fiscally conservative members of the state House, and that is but one reason that District 28 voters should look favorably on his re-election bid. Bedingfield identified his top priorities for another term as controlling government spending, creating more transparency and accountability in state government, and pushing for education finance reform and accountability.

 

Smith is a Lander College student who, as he noted, lives on land in District 28 that has been in his family for more than 100 years. If elected, he would like to see more funding for K-12 education, and he also would work to make college tuition more affordable for the average student.

 

Bedingfield calls himself "pro school choice," but he said he would prefer tax credits over vouchers as a way to accomplish this goal. His call for allowing local school districts to have greater flexibility on how they spend state dollars is a particularly noteworthy position, especially during these times of painful budget cuts.
 

This endorsement originally appeared at http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20081024/OPINION/810240343/1004/NEWS01.