Dear Friend,
One of my favorite things to do is to leave the four blocks surrounding the state capitol and travel the state meeting people of all ages.
Earlier this week I continued my “Log on to Financial Literacy” Tour. At St. Paul’s Catholic School in Spartanburg I addressed over 70 children in second, third, fourth and fifth grades about the need to start saving money. I introduced the students to various online games and apps that will help make learning fun and presented the school with five iPads, not paid for by tax dollars, so they could continue to learn to be financially literate.
Next we traveled to Dorman High School where I spoke with two senior economics classes about credit, debt, and saving for college. We then presented the school with 15 iPads, with preloaded financial literacy applications already loaded.
Dorman Economics teacher Kristine Anderson told the Spartanburg Herald Journal, “This is really is the first time anyone has stopped to tell them how to spend money. They have money now. They are making money. And I’ve talked to them. They want to be better money managers. They just don’t know where to start.”
Programs like these are exactly what we should be doing as elected leaders, and I’m proud to be able to take time out to visit young people all across our state. In the coming weeks we will continue to travel across our state visiting all types of different schools.
Thank you for allowing me to serve as your State Treasurer. We fight a lot of good battles, but it is giving back to the people of South Carolina that really makes everyday great!
Be Well,
Curtis Loftis
(Editor’s Note: The above communication is an email from an elected official and does not necessarily reflect the editorial position of FITSNews.com. To submit your letter, news release, email blast, media advisory or issues statement for publication, click here).
28 comments
Meanwhile, another qualified staffer leaves the Treasurer’s Office after only about 6 weeks on the job. Fare well, Wesley Hill, CPA. Sure lots of turnover there. And the Treasurer is out fiddling around with kids while Rome burns. Who runs that office? Interns?
“…fiddling around with kids…” funny
Nice to see he’s picking up where Converse Chellis left off…..only that HIS tax-payer TV commercials are not as good. Roll on Curty…..Ryberg is watching ya now.
As a teacher I can say most schools do not teach financial literacy. It is one of the simplest courses to teach and it is one of them most important.
It would be wonderful if it were mandated by the Department of Ed.
Several banks have financial literacy programs that they teach in partnership with school. I am glad to see the business community in the schools.
My son goes to the Catholic school that Mr. Loftis visited and my son came home asking questions about money. We are opening a savings account for him next week so he can learn money management.
I like politics so I read this blog. Some of these comments are crazy talk. I understand the political nature of things but making nasty political remarks about every action an elected official makes s what is killing this country.
American needs more unity and less devision. Let’s argue about the important issues and not stuff like this.
Excuse me, but Mr. Loftis has publically said that his fellow Commissioners on the Investment Commission who disagree with him with regard to investment strategy lack a moral core, that they are morally corrupt. I agree with you that our political discourse should be more civil and suggest that Mr. Loftis should set the tone by treating his colleagues with good old Southern manners and politeness. I suspect that if he did the favor would be returned.
You have connected two events that are separate and distinct therefore your analogy is not accurate.
I have no knowledge of the event of which you speak, my concern is this topic. If you want to sound like some Obama hating tea party clown and make nasty remarks about one issue because you disagree about another, then go right ahead, but please admit what you are doing. Please don’t pretend you are trying to encourage or practice civility in the public square as you certainly are not.
We need more financial literacy not less. I want to encourage it. I think most intelligent people do too.
First, I fail to see that anything I have posted could be considered “nasty”. Perhaps you could enlighten me. Secondly, I have not connected two separate and distinct events but I have commented on the hypocrisy of Mr. Loftis using events like this to ask for campaign contributions, something he has condemned in the past. He justifies his actions by claiming to be fighting for transparency and accountability, traits not borne out by his actions. Finally, I find it difficult to understand how you can like politics and read the newspapers or this blog without having some knowledge of the controversy surrounding Curtis Loftis, how he treats people and his relationship with his fellow Commissioners on the Investment Commission.
The SC Retirement Investment Board could help its own case a whole lot if they just let people know what they were doing with the money that has been entrusted to the retirement fund. But they prefer to hide their dealings from the public and the only elected official on the board (just as their advocates hide behind pseudonyms). What do they expect? Universal trust and admiration?
If you would take the time to visit their website or attend their meetings you would be better informed and know how the Trust Fund is invested. They follow an annual asset allocation plan that is independently vetted by the pension consultant firm of HEK. That plan is usually approved by the Commission in April or May, as required by law, and each Commissioner has an opportunity to suggest changes or modifications. Minutes are kept and they are all video taped. There is nothing secret going on here unlike the deal that Loftis cut with the Bank of New York. Six months after he agreed to a legal settlement binding SC to a ten year contract there is still no contract. Why???
I have dealt with groups like this for decades. They sound good on paper and their talking points are wonderful. But they are frauds, just slicksters working their side of the street and working it hard.
My one visit to the commission, a sales call, was enough for me to tell me business partner to write these guys off. They were pompous, not nearly as smart as they thought, and maybe looking for a little grease for their palm.
I don’t know much about Loftis but he has my support.
And exactly what would you be selling, penny stocks? Get real. You must be Loftis’ buddy Mallory.
“We are credentialed and all the proper certifications are in place. You have no right to question us. Further, if you cared, you’d submit for vacation time from your daily slave wage job and sit in on a meeting on how we plan to invest your money and how we’ll justify our higher than normal fees.”
Ok, got it, thank you.
The web site gives very little information (includes meeting minutes – big deal – but not the annual report the commission submits to the state legislature, for example), it covers only the last 3 years, and the “About Us” page is empty. Hardly a great resource.
We had “financial literacy” of sorts in home economics. But that was a long time ago. Do they still teach that class?
I got a similar message from Loftis in my email account but it included the following:
P.S. We have another financial deadline coming up! Won’t you give 15, 35, 50 or more? Every dollar counts to help us continue to bring transparency and accountability to state government.
Now I don’t blame a politician for asking for campaign donations, but I would like to know who took that photo and whether or not that person is, or was, a state employee and if they are, or were, a state employee why are, or were, they accompanying Loftis on the campaign trail. Remember he criticized Converse Chellis for doing something similar.
It seems to me that this question could be answered with a dose of transparency.
Of all the problems in SC you focus on what is probably an iPhone photograph taken in 3 seconds by someone unknown to you.
Loftis has attracted some plum crazy people shooting at him and frankly he seems like a saint compared to you crazies.
I got the email the email ‘confederateliberal’ makes reference to, and it does not ask for donations.
Mr. Loftis, do you believe Gene Fama’s efficient market hypothesis is relevant to our state’s pension?
Do all politicians put out worthless communications like this? Guessing so, but guess most of them aren’t posted on fitsnews so I don’t ever notice them.
It is amazing how little most adults know about financial literacy. My dad made sure we learned how to properly manage our allowance and how to save but many adults I know seem not to even know how to balance a checkbook. Teaching financial literacy ought to be mandatory even if only a 6 week class.
I have been using quick books for a little over a year. I mean really using it and utilizing the reporting functions, etc. it is amazing how much money I have saved by studying my spending habits. I know it sounds awful but I just never paid that much attention before.
I hope the schools start teaching money Managment in middle school and continue through 12 grade. It is really important.
I know it sounds awful but I just never paid that much attention before.
That’s just human nature, too. What makes it worse is that most of us swipe a plastic card rather than hand over bills, so it further takes away that feeling of “I’m spending a lot of money here.”
Curtis Loftis is your typical…say anything to get elected…political. He’s proven that. A hypocrite and a liar.
Where did these iPads and the financial software come from if not the taxpayers and is the financial software the only thing preloaded on them?
I can’t help it. FitsNews is slowly but surely winning me over. Interesting stories and it’s the (to me, newly discovered) playground of Cola insiders trying to pass themselves off as members of the general public, with reserves of hate and animosity that are usually kept only by spurned lovers… It’s everything anyone could ever want in an evening’s entertainment. Thanks, Fits.
The hate is amazing. These commission insiders have left politics long time ago and are clearly in the realm of hate. I guess they think they are helping the cause but LOFTIS has excellent poll numbers. More these crooks and insiders jump him the higher his number go.