Sottile claims victory in legislative race

Isle of Palms Mayor Mike Sottile won the race for House District 112 on Tuesday night.

With all of the precincts count, he had 56 percent of the vote.

“I’m just thankful to the folks of District 112,” he said.

His opponent, Mount Pleasant Town Councilman Joe Bustos, said he called to congratulate Sottile. “He obviously got more votes out, and that’s what counts,” Bustos said. Read more

Building Bridges

Friends –

Over the last few weeks you have received numerous mailings promoting my opponent Joe Bustos.  However, these mailings weren’t sent from the Bustos campaign.  They were from out-of-state special interest groups funding his campaign.  In a letter endorsing Joe Bustos, these groups wrote:

“Isle of Palms Mayor Mike Sottile, seems to be running in large part to bring more state assistance back to his home community.”

They meant that comment to be a slap at me, but I admit…it’s true.  I do want to bring more state assistance to our area.  I want to build bridges between you and state government. I’m sorry my opponent and his special interest backers want to spend that money on new government programs that will grow our state budget by millions.

Our area provides the tourism industry that fuels our entire state’s economy. In shouldering this great burden, we are hit with extreme growth, infrastructure, and conservation needs.

We give much more than we get. While I agree that there is A LOT of pork we must cut from our state budget, I know projects that move our area forward aren’t wasteful – they are a wise investment into our tourism industry.  Would these groups call the new Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge wasteful too?

As your State Representative, I’ll fight the special interests and lobbyists to ge the state assistance our area needs to keep fueling the entire state’s economy.

Sincerely,

Mike

Making SC the Best Place To Do Business

“As a lifelong resident of our beautiful South Carolina coast, Mike Sottile has witnessed a lot of change – some good, and some not so good. He appreciates the need to conserve our natural resources and preserve of our quality of life, while appropriately respecting property rights.”

- Senator Chip Campsen
Dear Friends -

As the Mayor of Isle of Palms, I have worked hard to build our local economy, promote tourism, help local business owners, and promote conservation. Now it’s time for the State to step up and make our area a better place to do businesses. Here are 9 ways I believe we can get the job done:

1. Cut Taxes – I agree with Governor Mark Sanford – the state income tax is bad for business in South Carolina. To improve economic soil conditions, we should reduce the South Carolina income tax on businesses and employees.

2. Eliminate Burdensome Regulation – Businesses have to jump over too many needless bureaucratic hurdles to create jobs in our state. It’s time for real regulatory reform in South Carolina.

3. Improve Infrastructure – I disagree with Joe Bustos and his out-of-state backers. I believe that we must acquire more state assistance in improving our infrastructure. Our tourism industry fuels the entire state’s economy and yet we are stuck with managing the explosive growth alone with little assistance. That drives up both our personal and businesses taxes. The state must begin investing into our area’s infrastructure so that our businesses can continue building South Carolina as a whole.

4. Conservative Conservation – As Republicans, we often get labeled anti-environment, but as the party of commonsense business practices, we know that our beautiful beaches and wetlands fuel tourism and drive our economy. We must following Senator Chip Campsen’s and Representative Ben Hagood’s examples, promote conservation easements, and find creative ways for our local governments to work together in managing growth.

5. Insurance Reform – Although the state has enacted some insurance reforms, our businesses and homeowners still face threats from wind and water damages while insurance premiums continue to skyrocket. The State must take the next step in insurance reform.

6. Promote the Port – The Port of Charleston is a largest economic engine for our area and the entire State. When the port thrives, our area as a whole thrives. We must continue promoting and expanding the port, including expansion onto the old Navy base and infrastructure access to the port.

7. Fight Illegal Immigration – Illegal immigrants are using our state services without paying taxes while we foot the bill. While I commend the General Assembly for passing the toughest immigration bill in the nation, I know that changing technologies will make illegal immigration a constant problem. As technologies change and illegal immigrants find it easier to manipulate the system, we must continue updating our immigration laws.

8. Workforce Development in Education – Our state education system as a whole lags behind in today’s global competition and it does not produce the workforce our economy needs. We must get money out of wasteful bureaucracy and reallocate education dollars to more technical, real world training.

9. Decrease the Influence of Lobbyists and Special Interests – Lobbyists and special interest groups are using their influence on legislators to grow our state budget, waste millions of dollars, and drive up our taxes. It’s time to end the Columbia Favor Factory and send a stern message to special interests that our state isn’t for sale.

Together we can make South Carolina and our coastal community the BEST place to do business.
I hope I can count on your vote Tuesday in the Republican Primary!

Sincerely,

Mike Sottile