Cap The Spigot, Not The Spending

S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom and S.C. Policy Council President Ashley Landess are embarking on a two-day, statewide tour today in support of several reforms near and dear to the hearts of fiscal conservatives – government restructuring, spending limits and government transparency.

Obviously, we’ve enthusiastically endorsed all three of these ideas in the past – they’re long overdue in our bass-ackwards state – but the governor and his entourage are frankly wasting their breath talking about “spending limits.”

Because “spending limits” in South Carolina don’t do jack sh*t.

For those of you who’ve already forgotten, lawmakers passed a spending limit the last time their wastefulness caught up with taxpayers.

It was called the “Fiscal Discipline Act,” and after it passed with much fanfare in 2004 the Legislature promptly embarked on the biggest four-year spending binge in state history.

In addition to ignoring their own laws, the Legislature in the past has also ignored the State Constitution, as evidenced by the $155 deficit the state ran up in 2002 – despite the Constitutional requirement that spending in South Carolina never exceed revenues.

Which gets us to our point – capping spending is a pipe dream. There are more ways to get around spending limits than there are holes to fill in Albert Hall, people.

Government saying it’s going to “cap spending” is like Gary Busey saying he’s done abusing illegal substances … or creating awkward red carpet moments for hot celebrities.

The only way to truly hold government growth in check is to CAP REVENUE … i.e. set a constitutional limit on the amount of money that the legislature is allowed to take in each year.

Sen. Glenn McConnell has proposed such a cap, but unfortunately his proposal sets a ridiculously-high 10% annual growth limit on incoming state revenues.

But McConnell is on the right track, he’s just got to bring his annual growth percentage down.

Look, people. Until we actually cut excess growth off at the spigot – and come up with a figure that works – all this talk of “spending limits” is nothing but political rhetoric.

Sanford, of all people, should know that … and should be using this statewide tour to promote a reform that will actually get at the heart of the problem.

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