2009 Constituent Survey – let me hear from you
February 19, 2009
I hope you’ll again take time to complete this year’s survey (click here for it to appear) – my fourth annual survey since I’ve been in office.
Elected officials that stay in touch regularly (instead of just at election time) have a much better chance of doing the job they were sent to do!
Instead of asking your opinion AFTER a vote is taken, I like to hear from you BEFORE the votes so that I can hear from all sides of the debate. Many of you work or have expertise with these issues that I do not have. I want to hear from you instead of just hearing the same ol’ information around the State House Grounds from the same ol’ folks.
I want to continue to hear from the folks that sent me to Columbia!
These surveys help me set priorities and policy that not only affect our community but our entire state as well. Thanks for your time (and your stamp/envelope) this year!
NOTE: If you are not a resident of House District 71, I still encourage you to complete and return your survey. While you may not have a chance to directly vote for me, your voice still matters too! Elected officials (statesman) should try to represent our entire state with their decisions. Please put your home address and email on the survey you mail back to me. Thanks!
Comments
15 Responses to “2009 Constituent Survey – let me hear from you”
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We appreciate your honesty even more when we read about $300,000 given to legislatures by payday lenders. The truth will out the conspirators.
Good to hear. Tell the Governor to reject the offer, you give up more rights to Obama’s freight train to socialism!!
I am so thankful that you represent my district. I have come to distrust and disdain our state legislature but there are a few good soldiers and you are one of them. Stay after the transparencies and inspire the others to represent their duties. I bet some of them claim even to be Christians while they pad their bank accounts at the expense of those they were sent to represent. Are all South Carolinians this narrow? I know not many of us are speaking up.
Hello Rep. Ballentine,
This year I intend to be in regular communication with you on several issues.
First, I would like to tell you that I do follow your voting and committee work and have been pleased overall in how you have represented my district.
As you may recall, my work is through a Federal Abstinence Education funding and I hope that Congress will continue to fund it. I certainly hope that the State of SC through you and the other legislators will continue to support the Abstinence until Marriage legislation (Comprehensive Health Education Act of 1989) and not revise it.
Currently, there is federal legislation (H.R. 463 – Prevention Act of 2009) that may well circumvent what states like SC are doing in this arena. I urge you to look into this and consider providing organizations like SC PIE the ability to sustain our Abstinence Education projects.
Our organization was hit by downsizing as well over the past 6 months. I took a cut in pay and now work out of my home to sustain our project.
Each year, one Abstinence Eduation provider in has been receiving $800,00 plus in funding that flows through the DHEC budget. Our organization would also benefit from that same funding. Also, we do not have any state emphasis on Abstinence Education like Louisiana and Georgia, who support from the state level continuing efforts for their youth. Our program is working in the districts where we have implemented our project.
Sincerely,
Deb Marks
(803) 920-4933
NATHAN–YOU ARE THE BEST.
I HAVE BEEN HOPING SOMETHING GOOD WOIULD COME ALONG FOR WW11 VETS–THEY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE FOR FINANCES & DEMISE—THANKS PLEM
Please do not approve the Bill being discussed to allow optometrist to do operations/laser surgery. They just do not have the medical training to perform these services. We have had personal experience with an optometrist who missed a very simple thyroid problem and was “treating” the problem with glasses. The delay in treatment almost caused my wife’s death.
Thanks, Nick L
Hi Nathan:
Let me again express my appreciation for your constituent servcice and for your service on behalf of all residents of South Carolina. I only wish we had more House and Senate members like you, Chip and Nikki.
Concerns that I have are listed below:
1. Payday Lending should be banned in this state – not regulated to allow even more poo people to become victims. I am reminded of the problems with video poker and saw for myself how that industry destroyed so many families.
2. I fully support the cigarette tax of 50c.
3. Let’s have a cap on spending tied to gross income – constitutional amendment.
4. With the new Walmart coming at the junction of Broad River Road and Dutch Fork Road, what provision has there been made to widen the roads and put in turn lanes? These are state roads and it is time for Wlamart to step up to the plate and pay the cost.
Keep on doing what you do so well – putting the interests of constituents first and not playing politics.
God bless you.
Nathan:
Although you do not represent my area of Quail Valley, I admire what you stand for and your presence inthe SC Legislature is a benefit to all South Carolininas, you’re a positive influence for all my friend.
Most of your survey questions I agree, I believe, with your stance on the issues mentioned. Cigarette tax; yes increase it but not abnormally where it may cause, like in other areas of the country, a price so high that those involved with illegal activities will use it as a reason to start stealing and selling illegally the product to many low income smokers. remember what the liquor ban of the 20′s did for organized crime…it needs to be raised and used for medicaid IMO… but not extravagantly.
Term limits I am absolutely in favor of and recorded voting within the legislature…in this day and age…is almost a laughable situation the current way it is handled by a voice vote. The voters need to know and have a right to know how each representative of theirs is voting on each and every issue ….and a record of how they voted should be available for all to read and be recorded for use in upcoming elections.
On the economic front, the legislature should address the issue of bringing to this state some of the so called “unacceptable” businesses that some of our neighboring states have adopted.
Floating casinos like in Mississippi, and even more relative to our state, would be building a thoroughbred race track somewhere between Charelston and Myrtle Beach. This not only would help employment and tax revenue but the horse breeding and training in South Carolina is a well established business already that could use this even to expand their industry.
If we want to expand our business opportunities in SC it is time to start and think like it’s 2009 and not 1929….myself and many others would highly support the legislature taking up these issues for business expansion into this previously excluded areas.
Just some thoughts for your perusal and as always ..keep up the good work…many of us appreciate your time and effort.
Bruce Innocenti
Representative Ballentine:
I can say emphatically that my trust in your judgement to make the proper decisions in the interest of th greater good is 99.9%. You do much more than as a true statesman to keep your constituents informed and your door seems to always be open for consideration from anyone. I find that that your are open minded and you are still like a breath of fresh air as a leader of the people. My perception is that you are not satisfied with the status quo if there are improvments which are an alternative; your enthusiasm is as strong if not stonger than the first day you took the oath of office. Thank you for your sacrifice that you make for us spending time that limits your family time. You are in a position of leadership for exactly the right reasons – you are a true statesman. How fortunate we are!!!!
Best regards,
Joe Rogers
Irmo
Nathan,
I sent an e-mail to Joe Wilson asking for details of the bailout package. He responded the next day with one example of what was in the bill and thanking me for my interest and how he had opposed the bill. I sent two more e-mails asking for details as my request had apparently been overlooked. To date I have heard nothing from him. It’s been weeks since I sent the original. I then sent the request to WIS TV to see if they could help me in getting a response. WIS replied that if they could help me they would contact me.
Why is it so difficult to get the details of the plan? Is it a secret?
I will gladly pay to get a copy of the details. I don’t want generalities about where my tax dollars are being spent. I want the details.
Maybe it’s been published somewhere that I’m not aware of. If so please direct me to where I should go. I understand it is a large bill and contains many pages. I will read it all. This is the only way I will be informed. Otherwise I will only get bits and pieces that may or may not be true.
I will gladly pay the shipping charges. So what is the problem?
This is why I have lost all trust in our governmental system to represent us. It appears that our representatives assume we are too ignorant to know what is best for us and we need to just leave it to them to do what they think is best for us. They, somehow, have forgotten that they work for us.
I will, unlike in the past, begin spending money in whatever way necessary to remove those representatives who do not represent the people. Our repersentatives should have to live by the same rules as the people they represent. That is not the case now. They act as if they are a seperate and superior class.
I have no complaints with you and I feel your intentions are good. I felt that way when you came to my door asking for support. To stand up in the face of the entrenched political structure takes courage. I think you have that. It may cost you, but I would rather see you fail than to not take a firm stand for the folks out here that are counting on our representaives to do what is best for us and not what is politically expedient to further their political agenda
Thank you for letting me express my frustrations. If you can help me with my request I would appreciate it very much.
Thank you!
It touches my heart to hear the many kind words your constituents have to say about you. They are so fortunate to have a legislator who cares about them and tries to do what is the best for them.
Dear Representative Ballentine,
Thank you for taking the time to listen to the community’s comments. I am writing because I am concerned about many of the education policy that will be debated this year, namely the proviso regarding stipends for National Board Certified teachers.
South Carolina has come a long way in recent year in funding programs that support our students. Stipends for National Board Certified teachers is one of those programs. While I realize that we are in an economic crisis, eliminating that funding sends a message to teachers that their efforts are not regarded highly. In a time when retening teachers becomes harder each year, it is important to encourage teachers to become certified for ten years at a time and reward their efforts when they not only become National Board Certified the first time, but if they were to renew as well. Renewal candidates not only have to prove themselves worthy during the first certification process, but they have to show that they have continued to learn and to use that information to support their teaching. Moreover, renewal candidates are most likely candidates that have reached out to other professionals, mentoring and guiding them. As in any profession, board certified professionals have proven themselves beyond minimum qualifications, and isn’t that what we want for our students.
Dear Rep. Ballentine,
I am concerned about recent word that state employees’ retirement funds may be undergoing some seriously detrimental changes. It’s one thing to axe the COL increases during the present problems with our economy, but please do not enact any legislation whose long range effects will further hurt us senior citizens!
Thank you for your continuing hard work on our behalf.
Catherine Kimrey
Dear Rep. Ballentine,
I am so thankful to have a representative like you who strongly supports the right to life. I hope you will continue to do so and continue to attend our Midlands Chapter of Citizens for Life. Please do not however equate us with Steve Lefemmine…he is of the radical right and has nothing to do with South Carolina Citizens for Life. Beware of him because he will skewer you if you do not follow his elitist right personal ideas. He would rather children be aborted than to save some of them with the laws we are passing like the 24 hour waiting period. Your participation in the right to life movement has been a blessing. Thank you!
Received this from a friend and I think it says it all.
Obama is the new Erkel and when looking at the state of the economy, the only think he can say is, “Did I do that????” in that voice that only Erkel can do.
Sanford is right is refusing the money unless paying down the debt is part of the solution. The only other solution is to utilize the money for one-time cost projects (i.e. paving roads).
Keep up the fight for proper accounting of OUR money.