Even though voters recently chose local school board candidates, issues with county schools are still on the minds of some voters as they look forward to the gubernatorial primary elections.

Those issues are also on one gubernatorial candidate's mind.

Jim Rex, the state's Superintendent of Education, has thrown his hat into the ring of competitors for the state's highest office.

Sue Rex is campaigning across the state for her husband through small lunches that target women and the issues important to them.

"I'm here to have a conversation with you," Sue Rex said. "He's (Jim Rex) asked me to go around the state and meet with women to see what issues affect them."

Rex visited Miller's Bread Basket in Blackville, April 16 to hold a local luncheon.

Although the topics of conversation ranged from issues in the new industries to litter along the county roadways, the main issue discussed was the public schools in the county.

Bet Benson asked what Jim Rex thought of equitable funding for school districts.

"This is one of the major reasons Jim is running for governor," Sue Rex said.

In the next fiscal year, schools will be back to the level of funding they received in 1995 and Jim has several ideas to raise revenue, Sue Rex said.

One of the ideas is to raise the state cigarette tax to the national average, which would generate $250 million extra dollars, she said.

He would then like to put half of those funds into education, she said.

"He wants to see the same amount of money for each child no matter what their district," she said of the equitable funding proposal.

Dr. Teresa Pope, superintendent of the Blackville-Hilda School district said even then - schools would not get equal funding.

Pope said some districts have local industries that create a tax base to help schools.

Sue Rex said her husband also wants to bring additional industries to rural areas to increase that local tax base.

Rex said her husband also would like share the tax base of large industries across the state with all counties so that everyone can benefit.

"We can't have islands of prosperity while we are sinking elsewhere," she said.

She said Rex would also start a marketing plan for South Carolina to attract industry.

Lynn Cox, the community and tourism director for the city of Barnwell asked about behavior problems in schools.

Rex said her husband would like to build on skills teachers already have by providing additional training on discipline issues as well as have them work in teams to teach students.

"When first-year teachers come on board, they can learn from master teachers in the team," she said.