As part of our project on The Republican Record, we talked with State House District 19 candidate Je’Varus Howard about income and the impact it has on the quality of life, business, and the strength of communities in South Carolina.

16.7 percent of South Carolinians live below the federal poverty line, 25 percent of our children live in poverty, our state has highest level of evictions in the country, and the sixth highest rate of single-mother households. We asked Je’Varus to talk to us about poverty, its impact and legislative solutions.

A job is a means to an end. Something our Republican friends lose track of when they site how great ‘the job numbers’ are. Sixty-nine percent of workers in South Carolina make less than $50K a year; 42 percent make under $30K. That’s directly impacting quality of life, specifically on a basic need: affordable housing.

Getting around the Upstate is a challenge, and a limiting one at that – affecting where you can work and the hours you can work. Je’Varus sees this issue as key to improving communities, businesses, and better jobs.

Finally, Je’Varus gives a shout out to our educators who are always fighting for our kids, despite being in a state that underfunds and undersupports education across the board. But during Covid, the job has taken on a new dimension.