South
Carolina General
Assembly Home Page
Click Here or type in
www.scstatehouse.net
click here or
go to the address below to
register to vote
www.awod.com/election/reg
|
|
This
District 15 Report is a quarterly newsletter concerning your State
Government. Due to the cost of mailing, I will not be able to mail a
copy to everyone in the District; however, I will do my best to place
these reports in various public locations so that individuals within
District 15 will have an opportunity to get this information. Any ideas
you may have as to how this newsletter could be improved are most
welcome.
Since you have elected me to serve in the General Assembly, I have
endeavored to keep you informed about state and local issues and my work
in the General Assembly through this newsletter and district meetings.
The response has been outstanding. I hope I can continue to count on you
to share your views and concerns with me about our district and state. I
always appreciate hearing from you and cannot tell you how valuable your
input is to me during debate on these issues.
I want to thank each person in District 15 who voted for me and for
giving me the opportunity to return to the South Carolina Senate as your
Senator for my third four-year term. With the election behind us, my
thoughts as your Senator from York County look towards issues that the
2001 General Assembly will address in the upcoming 115th session. I
would like to address some of them.
EDUCATION and LOTTERY
As all of you know, I was a leader in the Anti-Lottery campaign.
However, the majority of people spoke on this matter at the polls on
November 7th. 55% voted for a lottery to go towards education. However,
the lottery passed without enabling legislation outlining how it would
run or what it would fund.
There are different thoughts on how to fund this lottery. Some feel that
two-thirds of the lottery profits should be used for college
scholarships and one-third for technology in lower grades.
Others feel that proceeds should go to higher teacher pay, smaller
classes, kindergarten programs, school construction, and general
education needs.
TAXES
South Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment in the general
election to cut the tax rate for vehicles from the current 10.5% to 6%
over the next seven years. However, we won't know the effect of that
constitutional change on individual taxpayers until local governments
assess how much their revenue will be reduced.
Also passed as a constitutional amendment was a measure to allow local
governments to hold referendums on the question of replacing car taxes
with an increase in sales tax.
BUDGET
Because expected revenues will not reach their projected goal next year,
$30 million earmarked for a variety of programs has been cut from the
state budget. This paints a bleak picture for state agencies wanting
money for the next budget year. Not only does the state have a revenue
shortfall, but it has an overage in the expense estimate by the General
Assembly last year.
PREDATORY LENDING
Since the election the Senate Banking and Insurance Subcommittee has
already held a public hearing on predatory lending. Compelling testimony
was heard by the panel from several consumers who had been victimized by
out-of-state mortgage companies and are now forced to give up their
homes or go into bankruptcy. We plan to hold several hearings around the
state on this issue and hopefully, all parties will get together to
address this problem.
HIGHWAY SAFETY
Highway safety will be another topic which I believe will be on the
front burner in the upcoming session. During the past year accidents and
deaths on our roads have increased. Questions have risen about the 70
mile per hour speed limit on our interstates and the use or non-use of
seatbelts. Already several areas around the state have invested in metal
barriers to avoid serious crossover automobile accidents. The lack of a
state inspection law, which was repealed a number of years ago, has been
brought up as a potential cause of the increase.
An attempt was made last session to eliminate the minibottle, and will
surely resurface in the upcoming year. South Carolina is the only state
to use this method of providing alcohol in restaurants and bars to those
people over twenty-one years of age. The amount of 1.75 oz. is far above
what a normal amount would be in other states, and this amount of
alcohol is surely one of the reasons for the increased highway accidents
and deaths.
REAPPORTIONMENT
Every ten years South Carolina is mandated by law to review its district
outlines. Therefore, in accordance with this mandate, the legislature
will address reapportionment in the 2001 session. Both the Senate and
the House will draw up their own plans and the final plan will be hashed
out in a conference committee.
DEREGULATION OF ELECTRICITY
Another subject that I think warrants mention is that of deregulation of
electricity. Last year this topic seemed to have been put on the back
burner. However, there is talk that it will again be brought up and the
issue might be compromised without consumers having to bear the brunt of
higher home electric bills.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
Last year the General Assembly passed a campaign finance reform bill
that would require disclosure of "soft money" contributions,
but the measure was vetoed. Hopefully another bill can be passed during
this session of the General Assembly in time to require disclosure for
the 2002 election.
LOCAL NEEDS
Perhaps the two biggest local issues facing York County in the General
Assembly would be getting the needed funding to complete road projects
in York County and getting much needed capital improvements at Winthrop
University. Specifically, $28 million is still needed to complete the
Infrastructure Bank highway projects that include the 4-laning of
Highway 5 from York to Blacksburg and the extension to Dave Lyle
Boulevard across the Catawba River to Highway 521. The biggest project
capital need at Winthrop is the renovation of the Peabody Gymnasium for
which we have received partial funding, but additional funding is needed
to do the project.
YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED
Currently, I serve as Chairman of the York County Legislative Delegation
and as a member of the Senate Finance, Education, Banking &
Insurance, Medical Affairs, and Corrections and Penology Committees. I
need your input when there is an issue pending that you have knowledge
of or which will have an impact on you. Without your input the General
Assembly is often forced to make decisions based on inadequate
information. Also, I try to have a public meeting every quarter within
District 15 in York County, and I certainly invite you to come, express
your opinion, and ask any questions which you might have.
|
