December 2000
NEWSLETTER

Committee Assignments
Ethics Committee, Chairman
Banking and Insurance Committee
Education Committee
Finance Committee
Corrections and Penology Committee
Medical Affairs 

South Carolina General
Assembly Home Page
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E-Mail Address:
set@scsenate.org

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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.


If you need assistance or information or want to discuss an issue, you can contact me at: