OPINION: Pee Dee wants better education, but not higher taxes

The condition of the United States’ economy is a source of worry for everyone, but a recent poll’s results show that residents of the Pee Dee’s more rural counties are feeling an even heavier burden. And while a third of respondents think a stronger educational base would be the key to bringing more investment and jobs to the region, twice as many said they were unwilling to pay higher taxes for local schools.

The poll is a joint effort among Francis Marion University, the Morning News and the North Eastern Strategic Alliance. Its results seem to indicate that Pee Dee residents view education as a priority, but they want to use the funds and methods already in place for improving schools.

In the first Pee Dee poll, conducted in the spring 2008, half of the respondents said they didn’t want tax increases for education. They also generally don’t think government is spending taxpayer money properly for K-12 education, Francis Marion University associate professor of political science Dr. Alissa Warters wrote in an e-mail.

In one poll question this year, respondents were asked whether they would rate economic conditions as “excellent,” “good,” “fair” or “poor.” While nearly half of those polled in Florence and Darlington counties answered “fair,” about three-fourths of respondents in Marion and Williamsburg counties described the economy as “poor” where they live.

The difference between the more thriving and mostly rural counties also carried over into questions about health care. More rural counties tended to give lower ratings for their health care quality. In Williamsburg County, 76 percent of respondents said they don’t think their county has enough doctors to provide adequate health care. In Lee County, 65 percent gave the same response, and in Marlboro County, 60 percent did.

Across all counties, 29 percent of respondents described their health care as “good” or “excellent,” contrasted with 41 percent in 2008.

Warters said that change could be partly because of a lengthy, “contentious” debate over the national health care bill.

This year, 64 percent of respondents also said they are very concerned about paying future medical costs for their families.

Francis Marion University’s leadership is proud of the development of the Pee Dee, and the best way to continue understanding the region’s crucial issues is to join the Morning News and other partners in conducting the poll, said Dr. Fred Carter, the university’s president.

This year was NESA’s first year of involvement in the poll, which could become annual depending on the participation of other collaborative partners as well as funding, Carter said.

In addition to the seven counties traditionally considered as the Pee Dee, the 2010 survey also included three neighboring counties along the Interstate 95 corridor: Clarendon, Lee and Sumter. The poll was expanded because the well-being of those counties is important to the success of the Pee Dee as a whole, Carter said.

This year’s poll helps quantify the serious issues that nearly everyone across the region deals with on a daily basis. It also sheds light on health care disparities in addition to the economic woes that are felt more strongly in rural areas. And although Pee Dee residents seem to think education is the key to improving the region’s economy, they can’t be blamed for wanting school districts to use funding as responsibly as possible — especially in a time when the everyman has to watch every penny.

— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper: Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (content manager), David Johnson (regional circulation director), John Sweeney (The Weekly Observer editor), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).