Best/Worst 2010 Launches at SCPC

SCPC has just published its annual Best/Worst review of legislation introduced in the General Assembly in 2010. The report is the second in an annual series. As you’ll see, this year was arguably worse than last. Among the worst of the worst passed in 2010:

• The largest budget in state history (H 4657)
• A 50-cent cigarette tax increase (H 3584)
• An omnibus economic development law, filled with special interest tax breaks (H 4478)
• A joint resolution capitulating to new federal standards regulating carbon dioxide emissions (H 4888)

(For more of the worst of the worst, see this brief recap.)

Here, we just want to say a word about how to use Best/Worst. In addition to being a nifty Christmas present for your local legislator or tea party activist, it’s meant to be a quick reference guide for concerned citizens, the media, and lawmakers interested in a concise review of policy developments in specific areas, such as the state budget or small business. The guide is not meant to be comprehensive, but it does provide a snapshot of what lawmakers are thinking, and for that reason also serves as an indicator of what bills might be introduced in 2011 and beyond.

As far as that goes, we don’t make any predictions in Best/Worst, but pre-filing for 2011 will begin soon. Some of the ideas likely to be introduced as legislation include:

School choice reform. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that if school choice and student-centered funding legislation does not pass during the 119^th General Assembly, it never will. Everyone who is anyone – from the governor to the secretary of education – seems to support school choice. With a lingering recession, it’s also a good time for the public school system to adopt money-saving strategies – like school choice and student-centered funding – that will help all students excel.

Fair Tax. This proposal didn’t fare well at the hands of the Tax Realignment Commission. As required by its authorizing statute, the commission heard testimony on the Fair Tax, but has pretty much dismissed it as a viable reform. In fact, the commission is looking to lower the sales tax and instead raise a myriad of other taxes, including imposing a $25-$75 filing fee on low-income taxpayers and capping standard deduction and personal income tax exemption amounts at Tax Year 2009 levels.

More taxes. What TRAC, along with the legislative leadership that’s been overspending for years, has done is set the stage for more tax increases. As The Nerve reported, these include:

• A 2.5 percent sales tax increase on groceries, prescription drugs (excluding purchases made by Medicaid and Medicare recipients), water and electric/gas bills.
• Raising the sales tax cap on motor vehicles from $300 to $1,200 and dropping the cap entirely after 2014.
• Taxing out-of-state Internet purchases.

Other options are gas tax increases and local option sales, accommodations and admissions tax increases.

All that’s to say that next year’s Best/Worst is either going to be full of really good ideas … or really bad ones.

Wiki website covers down-ballot elections

This Tuesday, voters will go to the ballot to voice their opinions in the midterm elections.

Earlier this month, we mentioned that South Carolina had uncompetitive elections, as measured by the political encyclopedia, Ballotpedia.

On November 2, Ballotpedia will be tracking results for statewide ballot issues, Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and House of Representatives in South Carolina.

Statewide election results will start to be posted 30 minutes after polls close.

Most media sources will be revealing who wins the big races — but for these down-ballot items, this site is a good resource for results and coverage.

More status quo: SC performs poorly in Forbes ranking

Yesterday, we wrote about South Carolina ranking 41st in terms of state legislative competitiveness.

In what is sadly becoming “another day at the office,” South Carolina finished 34th in a Forbes magazine ranking of the best states for business and careers.

That ranking is an 9-spot plummet from last year’s 25th overall placement.

The rankings use six different metrics to create their rankings: costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, current economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.

This year, the lowest ranking category for South Carolina comes from the “Quality of Life” category, where the Palmetto State is 45th.

Meanwhile, our neighbor to the north — North Carolina — ranked 3rd overall.

Last month The Nerve reported that South Carolina paid one magazine thousands of dollars for advertisements — right before they released new rankings that showed South Carolina performed well in business climate.

Personally, I prefer rankings where the bias is not exposed through donations and advertisements.

While rankings should be taken with a grain of salt, one wonders how many times South Carolina performs poorly before the status quo changes.

Kershaw County Patriots Meeting Tonight

The Kershaw County Patriots have invited Ashley Landess to speak at their event tonight, 7 p.m. at the Old South Restaurant in Elgin, SC.

To get a preview of tonight’s event, check out her video from last week:

Join Ashley Landess at Columbia Tea Party Meeting

Policy Council President Ashley Landess will speak on the Legislature’s monopoly of power in South Carolina at the Columbia Tea Party meeting, Thursday, 9/16, 7pm. 2609 Seminole Rd, Columbia. Come show your support for legislative reform — and returning power to the people.

Here’s what she said recently at the “Rallying for Reform” event in Aiken:

And here are Sen. Tom Davis’ comments on the Senate’s “Roll Call Day”: