This joyous event has marked the traditional start of the yuletide season in the Midlands for over 50 years. It has served as a reminder of the importance of community and fellowship during the Christmas Season.

I’ve been going to the Carolighting ceremony since I was a small boy, and my wife Amy and I have continued that tradition with our children. I want all Midlands families to have that same opportunity to celebrate the beauty and the timeless message of the Christmas season.

It is because of this that I am working with other elected officials, including Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, SC House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, SC Senator John Courson, and SC Rep. James Smith, to save the Carolighting Ceremony. Together, we will find a way to make this important community event happen.

Under the current plan, the State Christmas tree will be placed and decorated in its usual spot on the north side of the State House. The tree will be lit on Sunday, November 28th at 6 p.m., but without the usual festivities.

So we will begin organizing immediately to plan an event at that time for the public to enjoy. If you and your family would like to take part, please contact me here: rickquinn.com/contact.

As we enter the final weekend of this campaign, I would like to invite you to join me for a unique VOTER RALLY with Governor Mike Huckabee.

The rally will be held at 6:30 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 30, at the River New Orleans Grill Parking Lot in West Columbia (121 Alexander St., on the Lexington County Side of the Gervais St. Bridge). It will be a fun family event featuring free pizza, refreshments and music.

GOP House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham will join me in hosting the event.

I hope to see you and your family there!

If you have any questions or would like to talk about the campaign, please click here to contact me. As always, I thank you for your consideration.

POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7 AM – 7 PM

Here’s where to vote in SC House District 69:

Don’t know your precinct? Click here to find out.

Former House majority leader Rick Quinn said he will run for the Lexington County House seat being vacated by Rep. Ted Pitts next year.

Quinn was a leading advocate for statewide tax reform, and despite a commission currently studying the tax code and a 2006 statewide property tax relief plan, there is still work needed to improve state tax code.”I think I can have an impact,” Quinn said.

Quinn said he is concerned about the impact on commercial and other business property due to the property tax law, which increased the portion of school taxes paid by businesses and owners of rental properties and second homes.

Quinn has sent out a letter to homes in the district this week announcing his run. Quinn formerly represented the Irmo area before losing a reelection bid to Rep. Nathan Ballentine in 2004.

Lexington town councilman Danny Frazier is also running for the seat.

All we get is a daily dose of scandals, deception, finger-pointing, abuse of power—and a steady stream of politicians who put self-service ahead of public service.

Meanwhile, our State is suffering. Our tax burden continues to rise, unemployment is at an all time high and the real problems we face are either ignored or neglected.

As you know, our friend, Representative Ted Pitts, is not seeking re-election. Ted is responding to a higher call of duty to serve our nation in the Middle East. Therefore, our District has an open seat at the State House.

After thinking about it carefully, I have decided to run as a Republican candidate for that open seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Before making any public announcement, I wanted to ask for the honor of your support.

But first, please let me give you just a little background on why I made this decision:

As you may know, for a number of years, I served in the State House of Representatives as Republican Majority Leader.

I was part of the legislative team that supported Governor Carroll Campbell during the greatest period of economic growth and prosperity in South Carolina history. During that time, I learned valuable lessons about what we must do to protect the future of our families.

Since then, I have operated a private business. And I have learned even more about the struggle to make ends meet in difficult times and how jobs are created in the real world.

Another reason I made this decision is personal…

I grew up in this district. I attended public schools here. My business is in Lexington County.

My wife Amy and I moved into the Town of Lexington, in the Hope Ferry area, to raise our family.

We have two small children—one attending school at Midway Elementary—and the other just learning how to walk and talk. For the sake of all our children, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME TO BE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OUR SCHOOLS. Nothing is more important.

Like most parents, Amy and I worry about the future. The huge burden of debt politicians are placing on the backs of future generations is absolutely immoral.

I believe the time has come to fight back.

• Per capita spending by all levels of government in South Carolina is the fourth highest in the nation.

• And LOCAL taxes are the single largest tax bills we pay.

It truly has become a crisis. According to recent records, local governments collected more than $13 BILLION from taxpayers—almost twice the annual State budget.

And there is only one way to address that crisis:

We need COMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM with a CAP ON SPENDING, to limit both taxes and spending at all levels of government. History has proven that giving tax relief to families and businesses is the single best way to stimulate economic growth.

With your help, that’s what I’ll fight for.

Most importantly…I will work hard—every day—to earn and to keep your trust.

MAY I HAVE YOUR SUPPORT IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY?

I would also be honored to have you as a member of my team. I look forward to talking with you soon.

Sincerely,

RICK QUINN

Though Rick has worked in small business all his life, he was drawn to public service at an early age. At age 23, voters elected him to serve in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He was later chosen to serve as House Republican Majority Leader-the youngest person in the nation to hold that position.

Rick helped lead the passing of the two largest tax cuts in State history. Serving voters from 1988 to 2004, he was given the Friend of the Taxpayer Award by the S.C. Association of Taxpayers every year, and was regularly endorsed by the NRA.

Soon after the birth of their first child, Rick and his wife, Amy, moved to the Town of Lexington. Their daughter, Caroline, is six years old and attends Midway Elementary. Their son, Trace, will soon be two.

Rick is a small business owner with a proven record of public service. He knows the best way to create new jobs and turn the economy around in our community is to give tax relief to the families and businesses of South Carolina.

Outrageous Trends in Taxes & Spending:  “Unless we act now, disaster lies ahead.”

The burden of federal, state and local government taxes and spending in South Carolina is truly outrageous. It’s making it difficult for families to survive. Here are just a few of the most dangerous trends:

• South Carolina’s income tax is the 6th highest in the nation.
• We have the 6th highest property taxes in America.
• Per person spending in South Carolina (by all levels of government) is the 4th highest in the nation.
• And our industrial property taxes are the highest in the country.

No wonder so many people are unemployed in South Carolina. Few businesses would risk expanding or locating in a state where taxes can drain away most of their earnings.

For 20 years, I have operated a small business through increasingly difficult times. I know what it will take to turn our economy around and create new jobs. The best way to stimulate economic growth is to give tax relief to families and businesses. That’s what I will fight for as your State Representative. I am also proud to say I was given the Friend of the Taxpayer Award every year of my service.

The pledge I make to you is this: I will always put taxpayers first, regardless of the political consequences.

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Public Education: “My dedication to our schools is personal.”

I grew up in Lexington County and am a product of its public school system. My wife Amy and I made a decision to raise our family here in Lexington County. Our daughter Caroline attends school at Midway Elementary. When our son Trace is old enough, we want him to do the same.

Our children deserve the best possible education in safe, well-equipped schools led by well-compensated teachers who are the best available. Nothing is more important to the future of South Carolina. You can count on me to be a strong advocate for our schools.

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Changing the Way Our State Does Business:  “Let’s return to our core conservative values.”

I was honored to serve in the State Legislature when Governor Carroll Campbell was in office. I worked closely with him to start the process of restructuring state government, to make it more efficient and more
accountable to taxpayers. In recent years that process has stalled, and now is the time to finish the job.

Every citizen in South Carolina deserves to know exactly how their representatives vote. When politicians hide behind closed doors, there is no accountability. In my view, the lack of basic transparency is a big part of the mess we have in government today.

We need on-the-record voting in state and local government and no more secret action that leaves voters in the dark. As your Representative, I will fight to make sure every vote is recorded, tracked, and easily available.

__________________________

Standing Up for Social and Moral Issues:  “I have a proven conservative record.”

On the issue of the right to bear arms, I have and will continue to fight to protect our freedom to own firearms for hunting and recreation, and to protect our homes, businesses and families from harm.

I believe we must fight to defend time-tested values against those who seek to indoctrinate our children and to undercut the traditional meaning of marriage.

My wife Amy and I are blessed with two wonderful children who are daily reminders of the miracle of life. That’s why I view protecting those who cannot protect themselves, whether early or late in life, as a sacred duty.