South Carolina Senate Republican Caucus

Columbia, SC – December 7 – South Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell today issued the following statement:

“I was saddened to hear of the passing of Grady Patterson.  He was someone who truly loved his state and his nation.  He spent his entire adult life devoted to both his service to our country in the armed forces and in his public service to our state.  The hallmark of his career is that he endeavored to make South Carolina a better place.  Hopefully, his life will be an example to all of us of what public service should and can mean.  He will be missed by those of us who were lucky enough to call him a friend, and those who didn’t have the honor of meeting him.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family in this sad time.”

Failure to alert anyone of problem highlights need for ESC Reform

Today, Lawmakers announced that the General Assembly would convene in session under the Sine Die Resolution to correct an oversight made by the Employment Security Commission so that South Carolinians will not lose federal unemployment benefits.

The General Assembly will convene October 27th at noon to pass the necessary legislation that will allow our state’s jobless access to this Federal unemployment benefit.  Lawmakers are currently looking for the best legislative vehicle to use for this fix and expect the process to take no longer than just a few days.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell said in a joint statement:

“The General Assembly will take quick action to fix this oversight by the ESC to ensure that unemployed South Carolinians will not suffer further by being denied this Federal benefit.”

“It is unfortunate that the Legislature must return to fix this problem, this oversight was completely avoidable and further highlights the need for reforming the ESC from a reactive check writing agency into a proactive job placement agency.  Just as the ESC waited until the 11th hour to warn the General Assembly about the dwindling Unemployment Trust Fund, again the ESC has laid this problem at the feet of lawmakers at the last possible minute.”

Lawmakers will receive no additional legislative pay for these session days.

Columbia, SC – South Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell announced today the appointment of Don Weaver to the South Carolina Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC). Weaver is the President of the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers a position he has held since 1998. He is also a realtor with RE/MAX Advantage Group and the Founder and CEO of Prime Financial Services.

Don Weaver has worked for over ten years on issues regarding the tax laws in our state through his work with the Association of Taxpayers and has seen the impact of those laws on people and businesses in his professional life. Mr. Weaver worked diligently on efforts to reform our state’s property taxes and to lessen the burden of state and local taxes on our citizens.

“Don will be an independent voice on the Commission who will bring his long proven fiscal conservatism and common sense to the discussion of reforming our tax laws. He will be the voice of the homeowner who has long shouldered the heaviest burden in our current tax system. I am sure he will make sure that homeowners are not sacrificial lambs to the special interests and status quo in Columbia,” Senator McConnell said in making the appointment.

McConnell concluded “Don will be someone who, like he has done for over a decade, makes sure that this Commission looks out for the Taxpayers and not the Tax Collectors.”

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Mechanism needed to absorb jolts of the legislative spending cycle

State Sen. Harvey Peeler is correct when he points out that the state needs a shock absorber to even out the jolts from poor spending decisions.

The senator’s metaphor describes the situation well. A shock absorber takes up some of the impact of holes in the road, evening out the ride of a car by limiting the up and down movement of the suspension.

South Carolina has been made car sick by the ups and downs of state spending and budget cuts. The cycle of legislative spending is clear. When the economy is growing, the General Assembly spends all the money it can, every dime that is forecast to come into the state’s coffers. Lawmakers give no thought to the inevitable economic downturn. For instance, last year, lawmakers spent more than $1 billion in revenue growth. Read the rest of this entry »

To advance his image as a budget-cutter, Gov. Mark Sanford recently called on the members of the S.C. General Assembly to forgo their per-day expense and their mileage reimbursement for the extended session now underway to deal with budget issues. This is to reimburse legislators for the costs of hotels, gas, and meals while they are in Columbia on official business.

I realize it’s easy to take shots at legislators, but I declined to join the governor in putting that kind of pressure on a group of public servants, many of whom are not wealthy. I pointed out that legislators make $10,400 a year in salary for their services and $1,000 a month for in-district expenses and, unlike the governor, do not live in a taxpayer-funded mansion with chauffeurs to drive them to work every day.

First Lady Jenny Sanford then wrote a letter to the editor (Oct. 18) accusing me of taking a “cheap shot” at her husband. She went on at great length with a long list of unfair and inaccurate allegations about me and others. It always amazes me that the Sanfords are so quick to criticize and attack the General Assembly and yet so easily wounded by even the mildest response. Read the rest of this entry »