Quick recap of House Budget
March 18, 2008 | 4 Comments
The House is on “vacation” this week (which means many of us get to focus on our paying jobs for an unheard of five straight days).
Sorry for limited posts this week but if you’re into numbers, here’s the budget the House passed last week.
If you prefer a quick recap, read on.
THE GOOD
* Fully funded Education Finance Act ($94 million); fully funded LIFE, HOPE, and Palmetto Fellow Scholarships; funded teacher salaries at $300 above southeast average
* Annualizations were less this year ($168 million) than last year ($270 million).
* This was the first year we received an Earmark List on our desks
* No doubt the House will spend less than the Senate
THE BAD
* The debate lasted less than 16 hours for roughly seven billion dollars (that’s a seven with NINE zeros: $7,000,000,000).
* The Earmark List arrived on our desks the morning of the Budget Debate and allowed very little time to draft any amendments (without staff help, it was difficult to even find the section of the budget where the earmark was placed).
* State Employees received a 1% pay raise
THE UGLY
* We spent less than fifteen minutes “debating” the Capital Reserve Fund and there were only two amendments. The Capital Reserve Fund spends $124,000,000.
* We voted against spending $1,500 for a Senior Citizens Center in Columbia (granted, I wouldn’t necessarily agree state funds should go to that local center but with the money going to all sorts of things, saying “no” to $1,500 was more of a confirmation of my previous post on the budget than anything else). As info, Rep. Chris Hart (D - Richland) offered the amendment as well as amendments which would fund programs to help curb our state’s gang problem. I actually voted for that because one amendment took the money from a NEW PROJECT (new earmark) and instead funded an area that the state legislature addressed in the past - but without funding. My logic - how do we fund NEW things when we have an issue we all agreed is a problem for our state - but did not fund?
* No doubt the House will spend less than the Senate
$60 million investment in Irmo (and jobs)
March 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment
From today’s STATE NEWSPAPER
Irmo-area plant to add 350 jobs
$60 million expansion to boost production at Shaw Industries’ nylon manufacturing facility
By JIM DuPLESSIS - jduplessis@thestate.com
Shaw Industries said Wednesday it will spend $60 million and hire 350 workers over the next five years to expand nylon production at the former AlliedSignal nylon plant on St. Andrews Road.
Shaw’s project is the largest for job creation in Lexington County since 2004, when Pella announced plans to create 450 jobs at its windows plant in West Columbia. It’s also a reversal of fortunes for the 400-employee plant that has lost about 1,000 jobs in the past two decades.
The Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary said it will refurbish a vacant section of the plant to make nylon polymer chips used to produce carpet yarn. Shaw bought the former AlliedSignal/Honeywell plant at 4401 St. Andrews Road two years ago.
Berkshire Hathaway has a reputation for being a long-term investor, but Shaw officials could not be reached for comment on why they are expanding in the Irmo area for a product the company says is suffering from a temporary lull in carpet sales.
In terms of money, Shaw’s capital investment is the biggest in the county since Michelin announced in 2005 it would spend $85 million and create 70 jobs at its Lexington tire plants.
Lexington County’s unemployment rate of 4.5 percent in January was among the state’s lowest, but the loss of jobs at the 47-year-old nylon plant had worried Smokey Davis, chairman of the Lexington County Council’s economic development committee.
“Those big, cavernous rooms that were built so many years ago are going to be full of machines and people again,” Davis said.
Makers of nylon, polyester and other synthetic fibers have been cutting back jobs and production in the United States since the 1990s.
South Carolina had 6,100 people working in the synthetic fibers business in mid-2007, 4,300 jobs fewer than seven years earlier.
However, South Carolina still is home to about 20 percent of these jobs nationwide because job losses have been nearly as steep in other states.
The expansion in Lexington County comes a few weeks after Dalton, Ga.-based Shaw said the decline in the nation’s housing market had spilled over to its floor-covering business. It predicted sales would be down the rest of 2008 for carpets, tile and wood floors.
Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, noted the weakness in his annual letter last month but said it was temporary.
Shaw is among the world’s largest carpet manufacturers with more than $5 billion in annual sales and about 31,000 workers, including 1,500 in South Carolina.
Reach DuPlessis at (803) 771-8305.
Earmarks - good or bad?
March 11, 2008 | 3 Comments
Pursuant to our new House Rule 5.3(F) that we passed earlier this year, spending requests that did not come through an agency are required to have a sponsor’s name and description. (Note: new spending requests. Anything previously in the budget prior to this year was not required to be disclosed).
I’m pleased we are letting the sun shine in this year and creating more transparency - not only for us as elected officials; but also the citizens of our state.
You decide….here’s this year’s earmarks that were on our desks this morning.
How would you vote?
Boozin’ it up on Election Day?
March 10, 2008 | 4 Comments
Golly, folks. Aunt Bea wouldn’t approve of this, would she? Well, maybe if Aunt Bea was a libertarian - maybe.
Now I’m not saying Otis would’ve voted in every Mayberry Election if booze wasn’t for sale on election day, but c’mon…is this what the voters are clamoring for in South Carolina?
I gotta admit, I haven’t heard the debate on this in the Judiciary Committee and since I consider Rep. Murrell Smith and Rep. Jim Harrison pretty smart guys, maybe I’m just missing the boat here.
We probably won’t vote this week (due to budget) but H4585 is on the calendar. So, what say ye? Drink up? or leave the hanging chads and long lines to the sober ones in the state?
When I campaigned to represent the people of House District 71, I thought I did a pretty good job listening. First and foremost the overwhelming majority here wanted property tax relief. Next on their “fix-it list” was curbing government spending. Then a few hundred told me we should consider ways to improve our educational system. Of course, there were a handful who wanted roads fixed…and then, let me think…what was next? Strengthen DUI laws? Make our roads safer? Create more jobs for our citizens? Let us drink booze on Election Day?
I haven’t had a Constituent Service Night in a few weeks so maybe I need to check the pulse again but I’m pretty sure this bill is not high on the radar in House District 71 - or the rest of our state for that matter.
Let’s get ready to rumble!
March 8, 2008 | 3 Comments
If there are two times of the year when I feel pretty uncomfortable in the House Chamber it’s Budget Week and Vetos**.
I guess because I’m not so much the go-along to get-along type kind of guy that it’s times like these that wear on you. Thank goodness, I’m not alone though.
For the three years that I’ve been serving, I’ve been a part of a handful of House Members questioning where your tax dollars are going and why. We’ve been attempting to either reduce spending or perhaps re-direct where funds are going. Of course, it’s inevitable the budgetalways passes the House pretty much the same way it came to the floor and many would argue it’s an exercise in futility to even attempt to amend the budget once it comes from Ways and Means.
In a nutshell, if you’re not on Ways and Means - you really have little impact on shaping the budget. There. I said it.
I guess I was naive to think people would listen to debate from the floor and vote accordingly but the overall theme is “no amendments pass” and the Republicans play defense the whole week while the Democrats are usually the ones offering amendments (on offense).
Sometimes though amendments aren’t trying to spend more money; they’re trying to spend less - or, as I mentioned earlier, move it from one pot to another. Thing is….moving from one pot to another is like watching kids in a sandbox trying to share toys. It ain’t gonna happen but if it does, it’s not going to be easy.
I don’t want to put anymore bulls-eyes on my friends so I won’t list the ones I feel are the fiscal conservatives but I will tell you, contrary to what some think in the chamber, there is a growing nucleus of elected officials throughout the state that would prefer we spend less and have more disclosure than we have.
Oh - that House Rule we passed earlier this year? I”m curious to finally see those earmark requests which will be available to members Tuesday - the day the budget debate starts. Read more
Pennies (actually dollars) from Heaven?
March 6, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Ok, you probably thought this was another Budget Post talking about Pork spending in our state and money just flying everywhere, right? Well, it could be…. but for now it’s actually a reminder that if you’re a SC homeowner that has your property taxes escrowed with your monthly mortgage payment, you should be on the lookout for money coming your way this month.
I mentioned this in TV and newspaper interviews earlier this year, but now it’s finally here.
Mortgage companies generally wait until March to perform an Escrow Analysis Review for SC citizens. Therefore, because of Act 388 (Property Tax Relief) many of those reviews will show that our citizens have a SURPLUS in the account this year. (Shocking because most times those accounts show deficits and the homeowners are asked to “pay up”).
Not this year.
Mortgage companies should do this automatically but it wouldn’t hurt for you to make a call to the company servicing your mortgage to find out when you should expect your check.
I called today and found out my analysis review is set for next week and that “if the surplus is greater than $50″ they will mail me a check. I encourage you to call your company today.
By the way, for thousands in House District 71 (and the state), the surplus is more than $50! Just compare your past tax bill to the one for this year.
Live blogging from the floor…
March 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
4:35 p.m. We’re in the heart of the Restructuring Bill (H4620) debate.
The bill presented, before any amendments, would place the following offices on the ballot this November for YOU to determine whether to directly elect the offices (Adjutant General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Secretary of State, Superintendent of Education) or to have the Governor appoint.
So far…..we’ve had a few votes already taken.
By a vote of 53-52 we TABLED the amendment that would remove the Adjutant General from the bill. (That means right now, the Adjutant General would be on the Constitutional Amendment in November if the bill becomes law).
By a vote of 45-62 we REFUSED TO TABLE the amendment removing the Commissioner of Agriculture. Immediately after that (a formality reality since the vote just showed 17 vote difference) a voice-vote passed the amendment and therefore the Commissioner of Agriculture is now removed from the bill.
Next, we overwhelming supported the amendment to put the Governor and the Lt. Governor on the ballot together. The vote was 89-17. This means that this amendment will be added to the bill and if it becomes law, you’ll get to vote on this in November.
5:10 p.m. By a vote of 67-38 we tabled an amendment to remove the Superintendent of Education from the bill. (This means that if the bill becomes law, you will get to vote on whether to elect yourself or have the Governor appoint the position).
5:25 p.m. By a DIVISION vote (similar to roll-call but not recorded and shorter time to cast vote) of 50-29 we RESTORED the State Board of Education into the bill. As the bill was presented, should you have voted in November for the Superintendent of Education to be appointed, then the State Board of Education would have been abolished.
5:40 p.m. By a vote of 64-43 we TABLED the amendment to add the Comptroller General to the bill. (That means that office is not added)
On a voice vote, we also tabled an amendment that would have lowered the age requirement for Lt. Governor from the present 30 years of age to the age of 23. Fortunately, Representative Rex Rice indicated during the debate that in the event the Governor was not able to continue to serve, we would then be in an unconstitutional situation because the age requirement to govern our state is 30 years of age.
By a vote of 41-63 we voted against another amendment to remove the Adjutant General from the bill.
6:00 p.m. Okay….if I haven’t put you to sleep yet….see if you can follow this…..by a vote of 80-25 we voted to take up the Adjutant General amendment again but immediately after that, the amendment was ruled out of order because it was a duplicative amendment to a previous one. By a vote of 82-23 we REFUSED to table the motion to reconsider the amendment that was defeated earlier today that would have removed the Adjustant General from the bill (whew…mouthful there…are you confused yet?). Then we immediately voted 74-28 to reconsider that amendment again (formality really after the vote moments ago). Now….once again we are voting the reconsider the tabling motion hours ago (that was tabled 53-52).
If you’re wondering what’s happening….apparently the Adjutant General portion of this bill is a “poison pill”. Meaning….if this remains on the bill, there’s a greater chance the bill would ultimately die in the House or Senate.
So….just now we voted 21-85 AGAINST TABLING the amendment that would remove the Adjutant General and then immediately afterwards we voted by VOICE VOTE adopt the amendment that would remove the Adjutant General from this bill.
Isn’t politics great?
We’ll soon have the final vote on the bill as amended….stay tuned.
6:15 p.m. Because this bill is a constitutional amendment, it requires approval from two-thirds of the body (that means 83 members must support the bill).
The final vote….drum roll, please….83 in favor 24 against.
The Restructuring Bill gets third reading tomorrow….BARELY passing the muster today. So if you’re keeping score at home, here’s what the House will send to the Senate next week -
A restructuring bill which would allow the voters of our state to determine whether to continue electing the following offices OR allowing the Governor to appoint the positions: Secretary of State and Superintendent of Education. We also will continue to have the State Board of Education even if the Superintendent is appointed.
I hope this live-blogging provides some insight to the innerworkings of legislation being debated and passed. I hope to be able to periodically blog from the floor and keep sunshine on the process.
COMMUNITY UPDATE: March 2008
March 4, 2008 | 8 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
Beginning March 10, the full House will debate the budget presented today by the Ways and Means Committee. For the first time since I’ve been in office we will be spending LESS than the year before. As it stands now, the House budget would spend 4.5% less than last year but would still fully fund the annual increase in per-student spending in public schools, eliminate the shortfall in the state’s tuition prepayment program and put more money into the state’s economic development efforts.
Obviously when there are cuts, someone’s not happy but I am pleased that the current proposal places an emphasis on education and the economy.
Of course, I’m really interested in looking at the “earmarks” that may have made it into this year’s proposal. Last week, I requested copies from the Ways and Means Committee and was told that all House Members would get a copy of the earmarks on their desk today (March 4) along with the budget. We got the budget; however, it turns out the earmark information won’t be available until next Tuesday (What? Are there THAT MANY and it takes that long to compile or did we not follow our House rule? I know the staff has had several illness lately but I’m not sure why the list is not available in advance instead of the first day of debate.)
I was also bothered to learn that the House Rule we passed earlier this year only applies to NEW earmarks. In other words, if something was “slid in” the budget last year and approved, that item does not need the disclosure this year that I had hoped we would see. Only NEW “projects” must have a sponsor’s name and a description.
In other news from last week, we passed a bill that would greatly improve the Education Accoutabilty Act. I posted about it earlier on my blog and there’s a good link that shows a side-by-side comparision of the Act in it’s present state and in the proposed bill that we have sent to the Senate.
YOUR MONEY
Again, the list of “earmarks” was not on our desks today as I mentioned above but I learned the list will appear next Tuesday when the debate begins. I hate to be cynical (and repetitive) but if the House Rule (passed earlier this year) stated that items requested outside of agency requests must have written request with sponsor name and description, why isn’t this information already put together for us to see?
Continuing my cynicism, I’m guessing there will be a press release next week that says “House limits earmarks to X”. Sure, it’s an improvement but I just wonder how long it will take for full disclosure. Rome wasn’t built in a day and changing business-as-usual in politics is a similar process.
Speaking of full disclosure, next month every House member and Senate member (and House/Senate candidate for office this year) must file his/her April Campaign Disclosure Report on-line for the first time ever. I think this is another way we are moving towards a more open government in our state! Currently, this campaign information (contributions/expenditures) is available but anyone interested in getting it has to pay money for the hard copies of the reports and has to personally come request the copies or do so through mail. Placing this campaign financial data on-line will now provide more accessibility to our citizens. Read more
Who gave us the answers ahead of time?
March 3, 2008 | 1 Comment
The 2008 State Measurement Report Card (Pew Center On The States) is out for 2008 and (drum roll, please), we pulled out a B-.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. How’d we do that?!
Well, my guess is that sitting next to Georgia (who got a B+), we probably copied her answers during the test but didn’t want to seem too obvious about it so we guessed on a few answers ourselves to avoid any suspicion from the teacher.
Seriously…bringing home a B- is pretty good. Especially when most times you’re bringing home an F (SAT scores, Graduation rates, DUI fatalities…I’ll stop because the high from our B- is slowly fading as I type these other courses).
I can honestly say that tonight, there’s at least one report out there that doesn’t give our state a black eye.
UPDATE: (As I was typing I noticed that on the last report we were a B. Dangit! And I was going to bed with a good feeling before I found that).
Read the report for yourself (and notice the phrase they use at the end of the piece): Read more
Read Across America Day
March 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Monday, several schools in our district will participate in Read Across America Day. Events include some schools allowing students and teachers to dress as their favorite Dr. Seuss character.
As the father of two kids under 4, I’ve read (and watched) some Dr. Seuss lately.
One of our favorites is this…
A poem by Dr. Seuss, titled “Oh, the Places You’ll Go…”
Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
You’ll look up and down streets. Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any
you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you’ll head straight out of town.
It’s opener there
in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen,
don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along.
You’ll start happening too.
OH!
THE PLACES YOU’LL GO! Read more