SC earns a WSOP bracelet
March 31, 2008 | 3 Comments
Last week I wrote about REAL ID and it appears several folks were tuned in. It looks like today all the cards were laid on the table. I’ve seen some strange endings when watching the World Series of Poker and today seemed made-for-TV.
It started awhile ago when the Federal Government came down on State Governments and said “you must implement REAL ID”.
Last year, the SC Legislature voted not to do that. (Variety of reasons….unfunded mandate, personal liberties, we’re stubborn in this state, etc).
Earlier this year, the Feds then came back with “you must implement REAL ID or ask for extension“. (Kinda like saying “we REALLY mean it this time, state governments.)
So, we (SC Legislature) bought it a little and voted to have the Governor ask for extension.
Today (the deadline). the Governor didn’t ask for an extenstion. Bold play, Governor.
The Feds then came back with “Nevermind, you’re fine…we’ll give you an extension anyway”
Pretty strange to see the Feds keep betting through the flop, the turn, and the river only to find out they were bluffing along the way. Nice play, state legislature and Governor.
For the record, things like these are not “games” but it’s easy for most people to view it like that. There are certainly several things we can improve on in South Carolina but this REAL ID situation is pretty bad for a slew of reasons.
If we thought for one minute it would make us safer, we’d be all for it; however, our current system isn’t too far off from what the feds are trying to do.
Here’s an idea. How about the Feds giving us some of their “big stack” so we don’t have to keep coming to y’all for the chips needed to play their game?
Was I the only one in the dark?
March 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
It’s not 8pm EDT yet (6 hours and counting) but am I the only one who had no idea this event was happening today?
My wife will tell you I’m not that great with dates anyway and I’m often accused of not “remembering” when/where she told me we’re supposed to be, but seriously, I would think this ranks up there with “Earth Day” or other things like that. How did I miss all the build up?
Had I not “googled” today and noticed their web page was pitch black, I wouldn’t have known anything about it today.
In any event, if you’re at home tonight - why not take an hour and help out the world?
COMMUNITY UPDATE: April 2008
March 27, 2008 | 3 Comments
Here’s this month’s regular update to keep you informed of what’s going on in the State House and in our community!
If you have events you’d like me to share on the site, please email me at BallentineN@scstatehouse.net and be sure to put the word CONSTITUENT in the subject line so that I can reply to your email before the hundreds of others I receive daily.
STATEHOUSE
With the May 1st “crossover deadline” approaching, we’ll be spending several hours on the chamber floor, in subcommittees, and full committees debating bills in order for any of them to have a chance at becoming law this session. If a bill does not pass one chamber (House or Senate) and make it to the other chamber by this day, there is very little chance it will ever become law this session. With this being the second year of the two-year cycle, that means all bills that don’t become law will be “dead” and will have to start the process over again in January 2009. A simplified (but pretty accurate) recap of “How a Bill becomes Law” can be seen on You Tube from our SchoolHouse Rock friends. The clip is about Congress and Washington but the process works very similarly here in Columbia, SC.
As you know, I’ve been regularly posting on events inside and outside the State House here on the blog. So please check back often for a few updates each week.
YOUR MONEY
Reminders….if you have a mortgage payment that includes your taxes and insurance (commonly called “escrows”), you need to contact your mortgage company and ask them to perform an Escrow Analysis on your account. You will be pleased with the results! Because of the Property Tax Relief Act we passed, most primary residences taxes dropped - significantly. Because of that, you should actually be DUE money from your mortgage company. In addition, your new payment should be lower because the monthly taxes they need to collect have been reduced.
Also…be on the lookout for the Economic Stimulus Rebate checks which many will receive from our federal government over the next several weeks.
Iin case you don’t have a plan for those funds, I’d encourage you to contribute (at least a portion) to local charities, churches, or other civic organizations. Particularly a great cause mentioned below in our Community section. Read more
People, Not Politics.
March 26, 2008 | 3 Comments
For immediate release
Contact: Nathan Ballentine
Monday, March 24, 2008
(803) 732-1861
Rep. Nathan Ballentine seeks re-election
Continues the fight for people, not politics.
www.nathansnews.com
IRMO, SC - One of the state legislature’s chief proponents of fiscal discipline has filed for re-election.
Representative Nathan Ballentine, a Vice President with Wachovia Mortgage, has served the people of Irmo, Chapin, and Dutch Fork in the SC House of Representatives since 2005. Ballentine says he wants to return to the state capital to continue his work on behalf of the taxpayers and to continue his efforts to restore people’s trust in government.
“Two of the most important things any elected official can do are to be a good steward of the people’s money and to conduct himself in a professional manner” said Ballentine, a Republican.
Ballentine added “I believe public service is a noble calling and should be treated as such. Too often, elected leaders forget what true public service is about. They become part of the system rather than part of the solution. For my part, I will continue to stand up to the business-as-usual crowd that holds our state back and work hard to move our state and our community forward”
To symbolize his ongoing commitment to genuine public service, Ballentine has continued to donate his legislative salary each year to the Irmo, Dutch Fork, Chapin, and Harbison communities in the form of educational scholarships and contributions to community groups and causes.
Noted for his fiscal conservatism, Ballentine is a two-time recipient of the “Friend of the Taxpayer” award by the SC Association of Taxpayers and has also been named a “Taxpayer Hero” by Governor Mark Sanford.
Earlier this year, Ballentine was unanimously elected by the House of Representatives to serve as one of only six members on the important House Ethics Committee.
Regarded as one of the state’s leading advocates of education and for his commitment to improving our schools, he has been appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve on both the House Education and Public Works Committee and on the House Education Finance Act Study Committee.
Ballentine is also the primary sponsor on Earmark Reform legislation that requires legislators to attach their names to spending requests in an effort to cut down on anonymous “pork-barrel” spending.
He shared that he will continue his focus on People, Not Politics – the belief that led him to seek office four years ago. “Elected officials who regularly stay in touch with their constituents are better able to shape policy based on true motives instead of listening to the voice of Columbia special interests. Nothing prepared me more for this role than when I first visited more than 3,000 homes in our district and when I continue those visits now in the community.”
For more information, please visit www.nathansnews.com where Nathan openly discusses issues of importance to House District 71 and the Palmetto State.
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Meet Allison Lee - Circuit Court Judge
March 26, 2008 | 1 Comment
Judge Lee, a member of our community, is currently offering her services to our state as a candidate for the SC Court of Appeals.
Judge Alison Renee Lee was born in Washington, D. C. on September 17, 1958. Her parents are James Joseph Lee, deceased, and Juanita Bacote Lee, a retired schoolteacher.
After graduation from catholic schools in Washington, she attended Vassar College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Science, Technology and Society, Urban Studies division. She received her law degree from Tulane University School of Law in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1982. At Tulane, she was a member of the National Appellate Moot Court Team and the Moot Court Board.
Upon graduation, she served as law clerk to the Honorable Israel M. Augustine, Jr. of the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. She then moved to Columbia, South Carolina to clerk for the Honorable C. Tolbert Goolsby, Jr. of the South Carolina Court of Appeals.
In September 1984, she began employment at the McNair Law Firm practicing in the Litigation Section. She practiced commercial litigation and employment discrimination law for five years. During these five years, she was a member of the Richland County Department of Social Services Board; an Associate Commissioner of the Board of Grievances and Discipline of the South Carolina Bar; and a member of the Planning Committee of the United Way of the Midlands.
In December 1989 she was employed at the South Carolina Legislative Council drafting legislation for members of the General Assembly. Areas of specialization included transportation, criminal laws, corrections, and judiciary.
After government restructuring, she was one of the first Administrative Law Judges elected by the General Assembly to the Administrative Law Judge Division. She was elected in February 1994 to a one year term and took office on March 1, 1994. She was reelected to a five year term in 1995. In February 1999, she was elected by the General Assembly to the position of Circuit Court Judge, At Large.
She is a member of the Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina Bars. Other professional memberships in South Carolina include the S.C. Women Lawyers Association and the Richland County Bar.
Judge Lee is active in a variety of civic and philanthropic endeavors. She is active in the Columbia Chapter of The Links, Inc. where she has served as several officers including President. She is also a member of the Columbia Chapter of Jack and Jill, Inc. where she has served as an officer. She is active in St. Peter’s Catholic Church, previously serving on the Parish Council and St. Peter’s Catholic School Board. Currently she is a Lector and an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist.
Brother, can you spare a Passport?
March 25, 2008 | 11 Comments
Many may remember that little diddy from School House Rock “3 is the Magic Number” but in this case, 3 represents the holdouts for the federal REAL ID law. Currently, the Palmetto State stands with only Maine and New Hampshire as states to either not comply or not ask for an extension.
Last year, this bill came before my subcommittee and full committee before going to the full House. Each time we rejected the bill…for many reasons (actually, we passed a bill saying we would NOT comply). Whether it be cost to the taxpayer or a slew of other reasons, a vast majority of us felt this was yet another federally unfunded mandate.
Just this year, the House and Senate passed a Joint Resolution asking Governor Mark Sanford to request an extension. Now…here’s where I’d like your input:
Would requesting an extension signal we plan to comply with the law or not? That’s what we’re hearing from the Governor’s office and (I think) I can see that point.
Regardless, if we don’t request (or somehow receive an extension without asking?? like Montana did) travelers will soon face a different procedure when they fly the friendly skies.
If you haven’t been following this, here’s a quick summary to bring you up to speed: Read more
He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
March 23, 2008 | 7 Comments
Crime Watch Update
March 20, 2008 | 3 Comments
Master Deputy Sheriff Amanda Lee
Richland County Sheriff’s Department
Community Action Team (C.A.T.)
5623 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC 29223
(803)576-3000
www.rcsd.net
Hello Everyone!
Please pass this important information to your residents within your communities, friends and family. Yesterday we had some burglaries that occurred in the daytime by three black males driving a green mini van.
They were seen breaking into a home inside the Waterfalls off of Broad River Road and near the Peak exit. They were seen walking around the home, then punch a window out to gain access into the home. Once inside, they just opened up the garage door, backed their Mini Van up to the home and started to load items up into their Mini Van.
The areas that these Burglaries have taken place:
Waterfalls
Rolling Creek
Julius Richardson
(all within the same area. Please be aware they probably know that the police know by now, and they might move their crimes to another area outbound. SO EVERYONE BE ON THE LOOK OUT!)
Again, these are happening during the day. Those of you who stay at home in the afternoons, please be aware of what is going on inside the community. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, like a garage door open while your neighbors are at work, someone walking around “casing” a property, or a vehicle driving slowly through the community please do not hesitate and call 911 right away. If you see these or other suspects breaking into a home or committing another crime, PLEASE TELL DISPATCH THAT THIS CRIME IS IN PROGRESS! Read more
Blood Drive - Gateway Baptist
March 20, 2008 | 2 Comments
I don’t know all the details but in my son’s bookbag today was a flyer that I wanted to share with the community:
Blood Drive
Gateway Baptist
Rooms 203 & 205
Sunday, April 6
1:00 - 6:00 pm
“Kid Care Available”
Jenny Sorenson is a member of the Ballentine Community. She is a wonderful wife and mother of 3 young girs. Jenny has been in ICU since Jan. 24, where she is receiving plasma transfusions from the American Red Cross. She has asked all her friends and family to donate blood. Why don’t you just doit for Jenny?
To avoid a wait, call Cretia Myers at 461-4830 to schedul an appointment. Please bring Photo ID
Sunshine Week - and we’re on vacation….
March 18, 2008 | 1 Comment
Ironic on many levels, isn’t it?
I’ll admit….I didn’t even know this was “Sunshine Week” until I was doing some legislative research on the web (ok, and reading the blogs to see what’s going on throughout the state).
Earlier this year I actually dubbed 2008 as “The Year of Tranparency” because of our earmark disclosures and because of our soon-to-be on-line campaign disclosure forms.
Turns out this week is all about your right to know.
Makes me think about the positive impacts of our state bloggers and how they help keep a watchful eye on what’s going on daily in the statehouse and throughout our state.
While I’m at it, how about some press for those “uncredentialed” (yet, very informative and first-to-know) blogs like SC Hotline, FITS News, The Shot, Palmetto Scoop, and the newest - The Other Brooks Brother.
If you haven’t checked lately, there’s several out there. Often, they break the stories before MSM (that’s Main Stream Media).
What’s your thoughts on the blogs? Should they receive press credentials like print/TV media?
There’s also a handful of us elected officials throughout the state blogging too: Senator Kevin Bryant, Representative Jeff Duncan, Senator Glenn McConnell, Representative Thad Viers, Senator Ray Cleary, and the pioneer to this “new media” concept, Representative Keith Kelly.