Legislators consider incentives to bring manufacturing, jobs to state

COLUMBIA — Sen. Robert Ford today said that state lawmakers will work while in special session this week to pass economic development legislation to entice a major economic deal.

He identified the company as Boeing Co., but said later that he is not certain that Boeing is the company that South Carolina is courting and he has no insider knowledge.

Most major economic development deals in South Carolina are confidential, and legislators are going to extremes to conceal the identity of the major deal in the works, which could create a minimum of 3,800 jobs.

Boeing executives have said that the company will build a second production line for its long-delayed Dreamliner jet in either North Charleston or a Seattle suburb; a decision is expected any day.

Ford, a Charleston Democrat who is running for governor, also said that Sembler, a residential and retail developer from Florida that builds throughout the Southeast, plans to create 2,000 jobs in recession-plagued Jasper County.

However, throughout the course of the day, it became clear that economic incentives for that deal are on hold until legislators can come to an agreement, and that is not likely to happen before January.

Lawmakers will be back in session today to fix an oversight that has blocked tens of millions of dollars in unemployment benefits for out-of-work residents. They could also entertain efforts to begin impeaching Gov. Mark Sanford.

Check back with postandcourier.com for updates.