Oct 09 2008
South Carolina’s Revenue Shortage Critical
COLUMBIA — Within a few hours of the announcement Wednesday that South Carolina government spending must be cut by a total of more than $550 million, agencies were looking at the real-life consequences.
Fewer troopers on the roadways, limited tourism promotion, a shorter list of doctors for Medicaid patients, elimination of schooling for inmates and fewer teachers in the classrooms are all possible outcomes of the budget shortfall.
Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell and House Speaker Bobby Harrell, both Charleston Republicans, said they will refuse to see the Legislature balance the budget on the back of the taxpayer.
- Fewer state troopers on the highways? Fine by me. It just means that I can drive 85 more comfortably now.
- Limited Tourism Promotion. Now this is how you know a politician is full of shit. Earlier this year when the politicos in Columbia assembled to gut some of the spending anticipating a lower budget for this year, Senator Luke Rankin (RINO-Conway) railed about the tourism dollars being stripped from the budget saying that a dollar spent marketing tourism “is at least a $17 return.” Now if that’s the case and we get such a whopping return from those dollars being spent in his district why on earth would we cut those dollars out during this emergency session? The pieces don’t quite fit the puzzle.
- A shorter list of doctors for Medicaid patients - Gee, I guess the welfare recipients will have to go out and work a job and obtain their own health insurance just like me and most of the rest of us in the state. No tears here.
- Elimination of schooling for inmates - Prison is for punishment, not rehabilitation.
- Fewer teachers - You know, this is always threatened but if you take the time to actually see who is employed in a school system you find dozens of unnecessary administrative positions that have little to do with providing children with an education. Do we need all of these vice-principals? How much are we paying people to be the school district “Diversity Director?” That one always cracks me up. Can we do with one less counselor? I’m willing to bet that if the districts keep their priorities straight very few actual teachers will have to go.
We’ll keep on this and see what happens.
