<b>By JEFF EVANS</b>

Presidential candidate Tom Steyer spoke to a group of about 60 at the United Church of Jesus Christ For All People on Monday, Fed. 24 about his campaign saying he was “… certainly not a Republican, not a centrist Democrat, and not a Democratic Socialist either. I’m a proud Progressive Democrat.”

Steyer said he thought government had a place in the lives of Americans and that throwing out the entire private healthcare system in this country was a mistake.

He also stated that he agreed with the idea or reparations for the country’s past history of slavery and that on his first day in office he would appoint a commission to determine the best way to approach it.

“When I look in a mirror, I see a white guy,” Steyer said. “I don’t think I should be the one to decide how those reparations should be made but I do lean to making those reparations to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In the last 10 years, federal funding to HBCUs have declined 47 percent, and I believe this is where those funds could make the most impact.”

Steyer’s appearance in Beaufort followed meet-and-greets Sunday in Yemassee and Monday morning on Hilton Head Island.