If you never have to deal with snow, get performance tires.
I have Bridgestone Potenza S-03's and they are AWESOME in the rain. I've driven in pouring rainstorms on the highway and felt total confidence in them.
The best rain tires i've even had were also some of the better performance tires. They are designed for that stuff.
You don't need an ultimate performance tire, but a decent one should do you fine. Just don't settle for a generic "passenger car tire"