GN - State begins work on budget
Proposals to cap college tuition and raise the tax on cigarettes may be among the amendments offered Tuesday in the House, as debate begins on a plan to cut $500 million from the state budget, legislative leaders said Monday.
While leaders urged members to keep amendments to a minimum to expedite the process, some House members are considering amendments to cap tuition and to increase the tax on cigarette packs, said Rep. Dan Cooper, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.
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Senate District 10 - Compton, Nicholson not tied to flyer
Say it ain’t so.
Mailers advocating against both candidates for South Carolina state Senate District 10 have recently popped up in city mail boxes, claiming Greenwood Mayor Floyd Nicholson is a pick-pocket and attorney Dee Compton is against public education. Monday, both candidates issued statements denying involvement in the campaigns.
“No candidate can coordinate with any of these third-party groups, whether it’s a 527 organization or a committee, state law makes that clear,” Compton said. “Neither one of us knew about any of this stuff until it hit the mailboxes.”
Both flyers were issued by different third parties. Dee Compton’s flyer was paid for by the cryptic “SCSDC,” and the mailer with Nicholson’s name came from South Carolinians for Responsible Government.
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Harrell: House Supports Roll-Call Voting
Recently, the S.C. Policy Council released a report on roll-call voting by the General Assembly. I have always been a supporter of the Policy Council and have relied on its research on countless issues. There is even a quote from me on the Policy Council Web site stating how much I rely on its work. However, the research done on roll-call voting was not at all up to the quality of work expected when the Policy Council’s name is on a document.
The report clearly states: “Total House Roll Call Votes — 62.” However, the House actually took 443 roll-call votes in 2008 — an average of seven for every day we were in session. The 443 number is easy to verify. Every vote can be found online on the General Assembly’s Web site. This information has been readily accessible online since 2001.
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The State: Senate Could be All Male
Three S.C. women have three weeks to press their cases to voters for seats in the state Senate, the outcome determining whether the chamber returns to its single-gender roots.
Lancaster attorney Mandy Powers Norrell, Sumter school board member Karen Michalik and former Lexington County Rep. Margaret Gamble face similar challenges in snagging a seat in the 46-member chamber, if different odds.
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Gov. Sanford: Budget sequel no one wanted must be solved
It’s been said that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it — which to me is just another way of saying there’s no education in the second kick of a mule.
While it’s good advice no matter how you say it, it’s unfortunately advice that too many in Columbia ignore all too often when it comes to the financial health of the state. Given what’s happening on Wall Street right now and with our own state budget, it’s worth taking a minute to remember how we got to where we are and to ask for your help in making sure that these mistakes aren’t repeated yet again.
Right now in Columbia, we’re dealing with budget shortfalls that were predictable, preventable and guaranteed to happen with the run-up in state spending. State government spending has grown more than 40 percent over the last four years — well ahead of the growth in South Carolina’s underlying economy and well ahead of the growth of people’s paychecks over the same time.
The result is that at a time where budgets of agencies like the Department of Corrections and others are already stretched to the limit, another $415 million is going to have to be trimmed from state government. What has happened in the credit markets will mean the size and duration of the budget cuts yet to come will grow. It now seems that legislative leadership is finally moving toward the same page many of their rank-and-file members were already on in saying that making those cuts across the board is no way to run government. As we soon deal with this budget situation, three real challenges lie before us, and I ask for your help because we believe with the right approach there can be a silver lining to today’s dark clouds. It is an opportunity to force long-term changes that will keep us from repeating these same mistakes.
First, we can’t think short-term and paper over problems in the hope that this economic downturn will be short lived. It won’t. The reason for our spending fights with the Legislature lie in the simple reality that growing government faster than the economy always produces problems and because we knew the business cycle was not dead. Things don’t go upward forever and our grandparents had it right when they talked about saving for the rainy days that always come. I believe this downturn, and consequently our budget challenges, will be prolonged and as a consequence it is very important that we not paper over shortfalls with things called annualizations. In laymen’s terms this means borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, and it creates budgetary holes for the following year. Instead, where we do make cuts they should be done as families and businesses do and make them real, rather than just cuts that exist only on paper.
Second, this should serve as an opportunity to deal with the capital side of the budget and other permanent liabilities, because they ultimately have an impact in the operating portion of our budget. The Comptroller General and I have tried several times — and been voted down — to put a hold on capital projects, given the increasingly stormy financial waters. Simply put, we didn’t think it made sense to build a host of new buildings when we’re facing shortfalls that make it tough to maintain what the state already has. In the same vein, I’ve asked that we reconsider the new automatic cost of living increase given to state retirees, since doing so rests on a new and higher assumed rate of return of eight percent. The law was changed this summer to give retirees an immediate benefit based on future predictions, even though, well before the current meltdown in the financial markets, people like Warren Buffet were saying this kind of return was impossible. It amounts to $2.7 billion that South Carolina taxpayers will one day have to come up with if the projections don’t materialize.
Third, it is essential we use today’s financial challenges as an opportunity to force changes to our governmental structure. Redundancy in the way that our government works in South Carolina means government costs us almost 140 percent of the U.S. average. We’re the only state in the country with a Budget and Control Board that performs the Executive branch functions handled by the other 49 governors in the country. We will always over-spend if we keep doing things the way we’ve been doing them.
These will be tough budget times over the months and I believe several years ahead. Whether or not these problems are papered over or addressed for the long term will be directly driven by the degree to which each of us makes our voice heard. Please take the time to engage in the debate before us.
Mark Sanford, a Republican, is governor of South Carolina.
Editorial; P&C: Follow Sanford Fiscal Fix
Last week’s news for state government was even worse than expected, with a budget shortfall now estimated at $415 million. As the Legislature works on a solution in preparation for a special session, it should follow the governor’s lead.
Even those legislators who have routinely opposed Gov. Mark Sanford’s efforts for budget frugality would be hard pressed to deny that he has better credentials as a fiscal hawk than anyone in the General Assembly. Too bad the Legislature has generally ignored his efforts to curtail state spending during his years in office.
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AP: Sanford Ready to Make Cuts
COLUMBIA — Gov. Mark Sanford is asking state agency heads to meet in Columbia on Tuesday to identify programs that could be cut from the state budget.
The State newspaper of Columbia reported that Sanford wrote directors Thursday, asking them to prepare a list of the “least-vital” 10 percent of their budget.
The governor has asked lawmakers to return to Columbia and trim at least $400 million from the state budget because of revenue problems. Sanford wants to prepare a list of cuts lawmakers could consider before the Nov. 4 election.
The Board of Economic Advisors meets Wednesday and could cut its revenue estimate for the state by 4 percent or more. The board cut the estimate by 2 percent in July.
The Budget and Control Board already has ordered 3 percent cuts in spending.
GN: SC Policy Council Criticizes Energy Plan
COLUMBIA — The recent recommendations of a state climate and energy committee would cost the state $11.9 billion while only reducing global carbon emissions by two-tenths of 1 percent, according to the South Carolina Policy Council.
The Climate, Energy and Commerce Advisory Committee, appointed by Gov. Mark Sanford, formally presented its 653-page report to the governor last week.
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AP: Peeler Calls for More Recorded Votes
The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. –
South Carolina’s Senate majority leader says he will push for more recorded votes to make lawmakers more accountable to taxpayers.
Republican Harvey Peeler of Gaffney said Wednesday he will propose changing Senate rules when session begins in January. He said he wants recorded votes on all measures that spend money.
Peeler’s proposal comes a week after Gov. Mark Sanford held news conferences around the state to call for more roll call votes. Lawmakers often give voice votes, especially in the Senate.
Peeler said a rules change is the quickest way in the Senate to get transparency for voters. He said he will also file a companion bill to Rep. Nikki Haley’s proposal, which would require a roll call vote on most legislation, other than recognitions.