Town Meeting – March 23, 2009
Thank you to all of the people who came to the town meeting in the district on Monday, March 23, 2009 at Woodside Plantation Club House in Aiken. We had over 50 people who attended for all or portions of the discussion. I provided an update as to legislation at the State House. I also answered questions about a variety of topics including the federal stimulus money for state government; cell phone use legislation; state auditors; the state procurement code; and public education. If you could not attend, please contact me with your concerns and questions.
State House Update –Week of March 24-26, 2009
The House of Representatives was back in session this week following a one week furlough. Because of the state budget cuts, the House plans to furlough at least two more weeks in April and to end this year’s session two weeks early on May 21. Taking two weeks furlough and ending two weeks early saves the state about $200,000.
With the session fast coming to a close, there are many bills coming out of committees and heading to the floor. Bills of interest to folks in District 81 that passed committees this week include a bill raising the cigarette tax fifty cents with most of the money targeted to provide tax credits for small businesses offering health insurance and premium assistance to low income people; a bill creating a Tax Realignment Commission to examine comprehensive tax reform; a bill addressing the point of sale provision relating to property taxes and assessable transfers of property; and a bill to consolidate the Employment Security Commission under the Governor’s cabinet. All of these bills will be debated on the House floor this coming week.
On the House floor, the House passed a constitutional amendment to fight the federal “card check” legislation. South Carolina is the least unionized state in the nation and more than two thirds of the House viewed a constitutional amendment in this area as necessary to keep South Carolina attractive to industry.
The uncertainty regarding the state budget continued this week. The Speaker told the full House that the stimulus money will probably not be available for the 2009 budget because the legislature might not be able to override any decision by the Governor not to accept the $350 Million in State Fiscal Stabilization money from the Federal Government. The constitutional questions surrounding this issue are still being reviewed. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing two versions of the budget – one with the $350 Million in it and another without it.
During the week, several people visited from our District including the Leadership Aiken County class. I met with them and showed them the House floor. Four classes of third graders from Chukker Creek Elementary School also came to tour the State House. I visited with them and had a great time. Additionally, this past Wednesday was Carolina Day at the State House and representatives from USC Aiken came. I visited with them and appreciate their interest.
Several constituents called or emailed me during the week regarding pending legislation and matters in the district including the Avondale water system; funding for K-12 education; nuclear energy production; and the point of sale property tax provision. I appreciate all of the insight from folks in our district.
Thank you for the opportunity to represent and to serve you.
State House Update for Week of March 16-20, 2009
The House of Representatives did not meet this week because the House was on furlough. For each week that the House goes on furlough, the savings to the State Budget is about $50,000.00. The House also plans to furlough the week of April 6 and April 13. Previously, the House furloughed the week of January 19.
The uncertainty regarding the state budget continued this week as constitutional questions arose as to whether the Legislature can override any decision by the Governor not to accept the $350 Million in State Fiscal Stabilization money from the Federal Government. Read more
Whiskey lights to be fixed changed
Lights are changing on Whiskey Road.
City of Aiken Manager Roger LeDuc said workers with the South Carolina Department of Transportation are due in Aiken any day to retime the traffic signals on Whiskey Road after a study it conducted at the behest of Rep. Tom Young showed overall efficiency was lacking at each intersection. Read more
State House Update – Week of March 9-12, 2009
The House of Representatives spent this past week debating the budget. After many hours of debate and two late nights including one to nearly 3 a.m., we passed a balanced budget which does not raise your taxes. The House budget now goes to the Senate, then to Conference Committee, and finally to the Governor. A lot can happen to the budget between now and when the Governor gets it.
Much has been written about the federal stimulus money. Like most of you, I would not have voted for the stimulus in Washington. Now that the stimulus bill is law and the money is coming to the states, I have heard from many of you that we should accept the money that is available to South Carolina so that the money does not go to another state. South Carolina is supposed to receive $8 Billion in stimulus money over two years. Ninety-five (95%) percent of that money is being sent by the Federal Government directly to state agencies, cities, counties, and school districts with no state legislative oversight. The other five (5%) percent for this year is approximately $350 Million and is called “State Fiscal Stabilization” money. This is the only money over which the state legislature has any control. We, as taxpayers in South Carolina, will pay it back whether we accept it for use in our state or reject it so it can be spent in another state.
In understanding the state budget, it is important to know that about 75 percent of our state general fund budget is money that goes to K-12 education; higher education; law enforcement; and Medicaid. The other approximately 25 percent goes to the rest of the state agencies. Even after using the federal stimulus money for education, law enforcement, and Medicaid, the House had to find places in the other 25% to cut to balance the budget. The House budget writers estimated that those cuts would have to equal about $125 Million for a balanced budget. (Remember that even before additional cuts, the state is facing a revenue shortfall of over $1 Billion and there have already been three cuts made to the current budget since last July.) If the House rejected the federal stimulus money for education, law enforcement, and Medicaid, then the House would have to cut nearly $400 Million from the budget on top of the $125 Million. Those cuts would mean substantial impacts including up to another 4,000 teachers laid off; 5 prisons closed; and 3,500 prisoners released early into the general population. Like most of you, I want to do everything possible for our state to avoid such layoffs and closings on top of the nation’s second highest unemployment rate at 10.4%. Thus, the House voted to accept the stimulus money and was able to find a way to balance the budget without raising taxes simply to meet General Fund requirements.
The Governor did not tell the House his position on the “fiscal stabilization” portion of the stimulus money until the day after the House voted to accept the money and after the House finished most of the budget debate. Even including this money, the House general fund budget this year will be over $1 Billion less than last year due to the well documented revenue shortfall. The Governor is right about budget annualizations and that is why the House leadership told state agencies to expect larger cuts next year and the following year as state government makes more cutbacks and weans itself from the federal stimulus money.
Locally, concerns have been raised about the aid to local governments fund being cut. The House budget writers proposed a $122 Million cut to local governments receiving these funds. This would mean a return to mid 1990s state funding for local governments. I made it clear to the House leadership that I would not support a cut of that amount. With input from Mayor Cavanaugh; County Administrator Clay Killian; and Councilman Gary Bunker, I worked with other members to find a way to keep reductions to this fund as low as possible. The House budget that passed funds local governments at the 2005/2006 levels (a $50 Million cut instead of $122 Million) like other areas of state government and provides flexibility to local governments over their state appropriated funds as those governments also deal with the current fiscal crisis.
Recently, I filed a bill two weeks ago to require that students under the age of 18 without a high school diploma who drop out of school lose their driver’s license. The bill provides that a student can keep the license even if dropping out if the student meets certain hardship requirements such as needing to go to work to support himself or his family. The bill further provides that students who bring alcohol to school; who bring illegal drugs to school; or who assault a teacher at school will lose their driver’s license. Also, I filed a bill as cosponsor to enact the “South Carolina Fiscal Accountability Act” which will require the legislative audit council to conduct evaluations of programs of certain state agencies and departments to determine if these programs have outlived their usefulness; will provide for a procedure to implement recommendations after such evaluations; and will require “zero-base” budgeting principles in preparation of the state’s budget.
The Governor’s Nuclear Advisory Committee met this week in Columbia. We voted unanimously to ask the Governor to contact the Department of Energy as to the decision to abandon Yucca Mountain as the Nation’s future repository for highly radioactive wastes, including spent nuclear fuel from commercial and governmental programs as well as materials from the Cold War. We also consider it imperative that the DOE solicit and address the concerns of key stakeholders in any decision regarding nuclear waste disposal. We urge the Governor and the Congressional delegation to insist that the interests of South Carolina be represented on any panel convened to determine the permanent disposition of highly radioactive wastes.
During this week, I attended the ribbon cutting for the new Woodside Plantation Aiken Design Center. Additionally, I talked with many of you about lots of issues including the cigarette tax; the Graniteville/Vaucluse water system; education funding; conservation; road and drainage concerns; and the point of sale property tax provision. Your opinions and recommendations are very helpful to me.
Thank you for the privilege and the opportunity to represent you. I am determined to work on your behalf to make our State Government more efficient; effective; and accountable.
Town Meeting – March 23, 2009 – Woodside Plantation Clubhouse
The next town meeting is on Monday, March 23, 2009 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at Woodside Plantation Clubhouse in Aiken. All citizens of District 81 are invited to attend. I will provide an update as to issues at the State House and around the district. Please come if you can attend.
State House Update for Week of March 3-5, 2009
The House of Representatives met three days this past week. The House will debate the budget starting on Monday, March 9. The Ways and Means Committee submitted its budget proposal to the full House on Tuesday. Since that time leading up to this coming week’s budget debate, discussion centered on the federal stimulus package; potential across the board cuts to state agencies; possible tax increases; the aid to local governments fund; and the impact on state government of even more decreased funding to prisons, law enforcement, education, and other services. Again, as stated in this column last week, it is important for the public to know that 70 percent of our state general fund budget is money that goes to K-12 education; higher education; and Medicaid. The other 30 percent goes to the rest of the state agencies. If we take the federal stimulus money for education and Medicaid, we still will not have a balanced budget and those areas – education and Medicaid – are not subject to cuts under the rules attached to the stimulus money. Therefore, if we take the stimulus money for education and Medicaid, then we have to find places in the other 30% to cut to balance the budget. The House budget writers estimate that those cuts will have to equal $122 Million for a balanced budget. Without such cuts, the only alternative is to raise taxes which the majority of the House does not want to do. On the other hand, if we do not take the federal stimulus money for education and Medicaid, we will have to cut close to another $400 Million from the budget on top of the $122 Million. If we go that route, then there will be substantial effects including at least another 4,000 teachers laid off; 5 prisons closed; and 3,500 prisoners released early into the general population. Remember that even before additional cuts, the state is facing a revenue shortfall of over $1 Billion. I am optimistic that we will find a way to balance the budget without raising taxes simply to meet General Fund requirements. Please let me know your thoughts on this issue if you would like by email at TomYoung@schouse.org or phone at 649-0000 early this week.
Read more
New lawmaker has eye on old problems
Rep. Tom Young is taking aim at South Carolina’s tax exemptions — all $2.7 billion of them.
“There are some tax (exemptions) on the books that no longer have any validity in ’09,” said the Aiken Republican. “In 2009 the question is, do we really have to have all of these? I’m trying to bring fresh ways to look at old problems.”
Another old problem on the lawmaker’s agenda: High school dropout rates.
Last week Mr. Young introduced a bill that would withhold a driver’s license from minors who drop out of high school. Read more
Next Town meeting: March 23, 2009
The next town meeting is on Monday, March 23, 2009 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at Woodside Plantation Clubhouse in Aiken. All citizens of District 81 are invited to attend. I will provide an update as to issues at the State House and around the district. Please come if you can attend.
Town Meeting Review – February 23, 2009
Thank you to all of the people who came to the town meeting in the district on Monday, February 23, 2009 at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School in Graniteville. We had nearly 100 people who attended for all or portions of the discussion. Senator Shane Massey and I provided an update as to legislation at the State House. We also answered questions and discussed our efforts to find a solution for the deficiencies in the Avondale water system which services both Graniteville and Vaucluse.