From a Jan. 17, 2016, editorial in The (Walterboro, S.C.) Press and Standard:
“Congratulations to the City of Walterboro and its residents on receiving over $2 million in Promise Zone funding to upgrade the city’s sewer treatment facilities.
“The grant, which doesn’t have to be paid back, will pay for nearly all of the $3.4 million upgrade. The city also received an additional $500,000 grant from the S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority, further dropping the price tag. Plus the improvements could generate as many as 129 jobs in the community.
“The Lowcountry has benefited greatly already from the Promise Zone designation. Barnwell County received $1 million to help with property improvements for an expansion by Kronotex (105 jobs); the Town of Allendale got nearly $67,000 for marketing farmers’ produce; the Lowcountry Regional Water System was awarded over $8 million for water and sewer improvements; the state affiliate of the Corporation for Community and Economic Development United, Inc., received a $100,000 grant to help educate disabled residents to deal with housing discrimination, as well as $95,000 for training in crop insurance education and risk management for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers in S.C. and Georgia.
“And Promise Zone money has attracted new industries. Swiss Krono Group will build a high-density fiberboard mill and expand its laminate flooring production in Barnwell; Cypress Creek Renewables will construct a solar project in Allendale County and six solar projects in Hampton County; AS/R Systems plans a move to Jasper County; and Nupi Americas Inc. plans to move its warehousing and distributions systems to Hampton County.
“In a nutshell, free money attracts industries. Promise Zone money is a huge opportunity for the Lowcountry and Colleton County. County officials, go for it. Bring more of that free money to Colleton.”
