State lawmakers can’t seem to agree. Teacher pay was one of the big questions at a SC Press Association legislative workshop. Most agree that teachers deserve a pay raise. How much is the question. Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, said it’s the biggest priority. Higher pay is the only way to get top-quality educators in classrooms, he said. Republican Sen. Greg Hembree of Myrtle Beach disagrees. He told media that state benefits and a 180-day work schedule make up for the pay difference. Hembree said 4-year-old kindergarten education should be the main focus. “Kids are just not ready for school.” The panel split along party lines as to which issue should be the top priority. “It’s not an amount of money problem, it’s how the money is spent,” said Sen. Sean Bennet, R-Dorchester. To prospective teachers, the #1 issue is pay, said Sen. John Matthews, D-Orangeburg. “The money matters. The pay matters,” agreed Rep. Russell Ott, D-Calhoun. “We have a screwed up funding mechanism.” 60% of the state’s wealth is concentrated in 14 of 46 counties, Matthews said. Rural communities and inner cities suffer most from underfunding. Rep. Ott suggested a statewide tax hike to cover the difference and teacher raises. He didn’t say how much would need to be raised.