New Year’s resolutions for South Carolina politicians
Under the State House dome, 2015 was rough at times – from fights over borrowing to pay to repair crumbling buildings to fights over whether to raise taxes to pay for crumbling roads to fights over the Confederate flag.
So, cheers to 2016, and let’s hope that a new legislative session will bring new solutions.
Toward that end, The Buzz is happy to offer some suggestions to the legislators who return to Columbia on Jan. 12.
Get (S.C. roads) healthy
If you traveled anywhere in S.C. for the holidays, you had to dodge a pothole or unknowingly drove over a structurally deficient bridge.
However, getting S.C. roads and bridges in good condition again is going to take a perfect three-part deal among S.C. lawmakers involving how much to increase driving-related taxes, how much to decrease income tax rates and how to reform the state Transportation Department.
So here’s hoping lawmakers can exercise their ability to compromise, work out their differences and get our roads in tip-top shape.
Learn how to ... fix our schools
Much like a concerned-yet-divided school board, the S.C. Supreme Court said last year that South Carolina needs to do more for impoverished, rural schools.
Since then, the S.C. House and Senate have been studying how to do more for those schools. A House panel has approved recommendations, including spending more state money on school buses (that one day could travel on repaired roads).
But, to cut a deal, S.C. lawmakers will need to do their homework and pass one of their biggest tests ever: fixing S.C. schools.
Quit a bad habit ... Graham bashing
One memory from 2015 that some will miss – OK, only about 2 percent of likely S.C. GOP primary voters, according to polls – is a Lindsey Graham candidacy for president.
After the U.S. senator from Seneca announced last week he was suspending his campaign, the backlash was quick. “(H)is exit will have next to no impact on the race itself, except for maybe sparing us of his stupid pandering to political correctness and substance-free jabs at the front-runners during the undercard debates,” said the ConservativeHQ.com newsletter, produced by Richard A. Viguerie, who has endorsed U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Another wag said Graham’s withdrawal freed his S.C. supporters – both of them – to support a candidate who could win, adding one probably would vote for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and the other for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Even the S.C. Democratic Party, which last won a race that mattered in 1998, weighed in: “Like many other GOP presidential hopefuls, Senator Graham's campaign was never able to catch fire like extremist front-runner Donald Trump's.”
Budget, budget, budget
S.C. lawmakers will have to decide how to spend $1.2 billion in added state revenue, which brings the state’s general fund budget to $7.7 billion for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Lawmakers will have to decide how much S.C. taxpayer money to spend on schools, roads, state agencies and flood relief. Then, there is a $3.6 million request by the Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum Commission for displaying the Confederate battle flag that was removed from the State House grounds in July.
Stop procrastinating
Everyone knows S.C. lawmakers are most productive during the last few weeks of their six-month session. There’s nothing like the May 1 crossover deadline for legislation to move from one body to the other and receive consideration to focus attention.
But with important issues needing attention, The Buzz hopes lawmakers will stop procrastinating and act faster in 2016. The Senate will have the chance to signal that it’s a new day when it returns to face a road funding bill, waiting in a priority spot.
2016 in S.C.
GOP front-runner Trump will be in Hilton Head Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, 2 Grasslawn Ave.
This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 4:07 PM with the headline "New Year’s resolutions for South Carolina politicians."