Election 2024: Jessicka Spearman, S.C. Senate Dist. 3
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Jessicka Spearman is a candidate for the South Carolina Senate, Dist. 3.
Spearman is a Licensed Professional Counselor and earned a Master’s in counseling.
Her community activities include founding president of PFLAG in Anderson, Founder of Anderson Reads, and is an advocate for community service.
Here are her answers to the Anderson Observer’s questions:
1. What are the three greatest needs facing South Carolina in the next two years?
For the next two years, South Carolina faces significant challenges across several areas. Here are the three greatest needs that could define the state's future:
Healthcare Access and Mental Health Support:
South Carolina has historically faced challenges in healthcare access, especially in rural areas. Expanding Medicaid, improving healthcare infrastructure, and addressing the maternal health crisis and mental health crisis are essential. This includes increasing access to affordable, quality healthcare and mental health services, particularly for underserved populations like children, veterans, and the LGBTQ+ community. Addressing the growing mental health crisis, including substance abuse and suicide rates, will be critical.
Education Reform and Funding:
Education continues to be a pressing need. South Carolina ranks near the bottom in national education rankings, and improving school funding, increasing teacher pay, and addressing teacher shortages are vital. In addition, pushing for curricula that support intellectual freedom and resist censorship efforts will be crucial to ensure students receive a well-rounded, inclusive education.
Economic Development and Workforce Training:
With the rise of technology and the shift in global markets, South Carolina needs to focus on workforce development and creating job opportunities. Expanding vocational training, supporting small businesses, and promoting sustainable industries like renewable energy can help strengthen the economy. Addressing income inequality, especially in rural and economically disadvantaged areas, will also be important to ensure economic growth benefits everyone.
2. What is the main responsibility of a member of the S.C. Senate?
The main responsibility of a member of the South Carolina Senate is to create, amend, and pass state laws that address the needs of the state and its citizens. Senators play a key role in shaping policies that impact a wide range of issues such as healthcare, education, public safety, infrastructure, and the state’s budget. Specific responsibilities include:
1. Legislating: Introducing, debating, and voting on bills that can become state law.
2. Budgeting: Approving the state’s budget, including decisions on how taxpayer money is allocated across different programs and services.
3. Constituent Representation: Representing the interests of the people in their district, advocating for their concerns and addressing local issues.
4. Oversight and Accountability: Overseeing the implementation of laws and holding state agencies accountable through committees and hearings.
5. Confirming Appointments: Approving appointments made by the governor to various state boards, commissions, and judicial positions.
3. How will your representation benefit the citizens of Anderson County? How about the state as a whole?
As a mental health therapist, advocate, and community leader, my representation will benefit the citizens of Anderson County by addressing critical issues such as healthcare access, education reform, and support for families. I bring firsthand experience in advocating for gender-affirming care and opposing harmful practices like conversion therapy, ensuring that our laws reflect compassion and understanding for all individuals. I will fight for increased mental health services, protect intellectual freedom in our schools, and advocate for policies that uplift marginalized communities. On a statewide level, my focus will be on expanding access to quality healthcare, ensuring reproductive freedom, and strengthening public education. I will champion policies that promote economic growth, protect individual rights, and foster a more inclusive, equitable South Carolina for all its citizens.
4. Are there particular issues that motivate you to run/run again for the S.C. Senate?
Yes, there are several issues that motivate me to run for the South Carolina Senate. As a mental health therapist, I see firsthand the gaps in our healthcare system, particularly around access to mental health services, and I am determined to fight for expanded care for all citizens. My experience as a mother of a trans child has shown me the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ rights and ensuring that every person, regardless of gender identity, can access gender-affirming healthcare without fear or discrimination. Additionally, I am motivated to defend reproductive freedom and ensure that South Carolinians can make personal healthcare decisions without government interference. I am also deeply committed to improving education by supporting teachers, increasing funding, and protecting intellectual freedom in schools to encourage critical thinking and diversity of thought. These issues are at the core of why I am running, as I believe they are essential for the future of South Carolina.
5. What is the General Assembly’s role in working for better public-school education?
The General Assembly’s role in working for better public-school education is critical. It is the foundation upon which we can build a brighter future for every child in South Carolina. . The General Assembly has the power to pass legislation that funds our schools, sets the standards for educational quality, and ensures that every student—no matter where they live—has access to a quality education. The issue is not just about funding; it’s about prioritizing our children’s success. It’s about supporting our teachers, the backbone of our education system, and making sure they have the resources and respect they deserve. It’s about ensuring our schools are safe, inclusive environments where intellectual freedom is not just an idea but a practice. When the General Assembly steps up, our kids succeed. And let’s be clear: the stakes couldn’t be higher. We are talking about the future of our state, our economy, and our communities.
6. What is the biggest budget challenge the state will face in the next two years?
Healthcare Costs and Medicaid Expansion, Education Funding, Infrastructure and Economic Growth
7. Do you favor Medicaid expansion for South Carolina? Why? Why not?
Yes, I strongly favor Medicaid expansion for South Carolina. Here’s why:
1. Increased Access to Healthcare
Expanding Medicaid would provide healthcare coverage to hundreds of thousands of low-income South Carolinians who are currently uninsured. This expansion would especially benefit vulnerable populations like low-wage workers, people in rural areas, and those with disabilities. Access to preventive care reduces the strain on emergency rooms and improves overall health outcomes for the state.
2. Addressing the Mental Health Crisis
As a licensed professional counselor, you understand the importance of mental health care. Medicaid expansion would make mental health services more accessible, helping those struggling with mental illness, substance use disorders, and other behavioral health challenges. This would also reduce the burden on law enforcement and the criminal justice system, where untreated mental health issues often land individuals.
3. Economic Benefits
Studies have shown that Medicaid expansion boosts state economies. It brings federal funding into the state, creates jobs in the healthcare sector, and reduces uncompensated care costs for hospitals, especially in rural areas. Without expansion, rural hospitals are at risk of closing, which would lead to a healthcare desert and job losses.
4. Preventing Costly Health Outcomes
Without Medicaid, many people forgo necessary medical treatment, leading to worse health outcomes and higher costs for the state in the long term. Expansion allows for earlier, less expensive treatment, reducing the need for emergency care or managing chronic illnesses that could have been prevented.
5. Federal Funding
Medicaid expansion is largely funded by the federal government, covering 90% of the costs. South Carolina is currently leaving billions of federal dollars on the table by not expanding Medicaid, money that could be used to provide care to its residents.
8. Do you favor a repeal or revision of Act 388 to help school districts and municipalities which are struggling due to those regulations? If yes, how would you change the law?
Yes, I favor a revision of Act 388 to help school districts and municipalities that are struggling under the current law. Act 388, passed in 2006, shifted much of the property tax burden for funding public education off of owner-occupied homes and onto other forms of property, such as businesses, rental properties, and second homes. While it was initially designed to relieve homeowners from rising property taxes, it has had several unintended consequences, particularly in terms of underfunding education and creating inequities across different school districts.
1. Restoring Fair and Adequate Education Funding
Act 388 disproportionately harms school districts, particularly in areas where there is a lower concentration of commercial and rental properties. By capping the property tax revenue that can be used for education, many districts, especially rural ones, face severe funding shortages. I would revise the law to ensure school districts have more reliable and equitable funding sources by allowing a modest property tax on owner-occupied homes to contribute toward school funding again.
2. Reducing the Burden on Businesses and Renters
Under Act 388, businesses and rental properties bear a heavier tax burden, which has led to higher costs for businesses and increased rents for tenants. This hurts local economies and families who rent their homes. By revising Act 388 to spread the tax burden more evenly across all property types, we could alleviate some of these pressures. One approach might be to adjust the millage rates or allow for gradual increases in property taxes on owner-occupied homes while lowering the rates on businesses and rental properties.
3. Addressing Inequities Between Wealthy and Poor Districts
Act 388 has widened the gap between wealthy and poor districts. Wealthier areas that benefit from high property values and commercial development can raise more revenue for schools, while poorer, rural areas are left struggling. Revising the act should include mechanisms to ensure equitable distribution of resources, such as a more progressive property tax structure or increased state-level funding to support underfunded districts.
4. Consider Alternative Revenue Sources
In addition to adjusting property taxes, I would explore other revenue sources to support schools and municipalities. One option is revisiting the state’s sales tax exemptions. South Carolina currently exempts a wide range of goods and services from sales tax, and closing some of these loopholes could generate additional revenue for education and local government without overburdening taxpayers.
9. What is your understanding of the current abortion ban in South Carolina? Is it too restrictive or not restrictive enough?
Given my first-hand experience working with survivors of sexual abuse in Anderson County as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I am deeply aware of the trauma and challenges these individuals face. The current abortion ban in South Carolina is particularly harmful to survivors of rape and incest, as the narrow exceptions and reporting requirements can further traumatize victims. Having worked closely with these individuals, I know how critical it is that survivors have access to compassionate, non-judgmental healthcare, including the option to terminate a pregnancy if they choose.
The law’s requirement for physicians to report cases of rape and incest to law enforcement within 24 hours is problematic. Many survivors are reluctant to come forward or involve law enforcement, especially in such a vulnerable time. This can discourage them from seeking care altogether, leaving them unsupported during a time of crisis.
As someone who has seen the profound effects of sexual trauma, I believe that the current abortion law is too restrictive and fails to provide adequate care and support for survivors. Reproductive decisions should be left to the individual, particularly in such sensitive and personal circumstances, and the state’s role should be to support access to comprehensive healthcare options, not impose further obstacles.
By advocating for policies that respect the autonomy of all women, including survivors of sexual abuse, I aim to ensure that they receive the care and support they need to heal and make the best decisions for their future.
10. How would you work to find common ground with other Anderson County legislative delegation on issues of disagreement? Using my skills as a Licensed Professional Counselor, I would focus on empathy, active listening, and collaboration to work toward common ground with the Anderson County legislative delegation. By building relationships, facilitating open dialogue, and focusing on shared values and data-driven solutions, I am confident we can find ways to work together on even the most divisive issues.