In a tight budget environment, South Carolina lawmakers, judges and other state employees are spending millions of taxpayer dollars on travel expenses, according to data obtained from S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom’s new spending transparency website.
S.C. Senator Thomas Alexander and S.C. Rep. Bill Sandifer, both Republicans, led their respective legislative bodies in travel expenses for the recently-concluded fiscal year, with Alexander logging $20,072 in travel expenses and Sandifer racking up $15,824 in travel expenses.
Trailing Alexander in the Senate were two other Republicans, Mike Fair ($16,923) and Luke Rankin ($16,331), and just behind Sandifer in the House were GOP Representatives Phillip Owens ($15,213) and Dan Cooper ($13,855).
In total, S.C. House members spent $1,128,461 on travel in FY 2007-08, ranking 11th among state agencies. State Senators spent a total of $509,147, ranking 28th among state agencies.
The combined travel costs of the House and Senate, however, were less than those incurred by the S.C. Judicial Department, which racked up a total of $1,927,133 in travel expenses, including a whopping $22,296 for Chief Appeals Court Judge Kay Hearn, a favorite to become the next Supreme Court Justice.
Of the sitting Supremes, Justice Donald Beatty led the way with $13,764 in travel costs.
By far and away, though, South Carolina’s research universities racked up the biggest travel bills, with Clemson spending $13 million on travel, followed by the University of South Carolina, which shelled out $11 million.
In all, South Carolina taxpayers forked over a grand total of $80 million on travel expenses for state agencies in FY 2007-08, which is more than a full percent of the state budget.
This $80 million figure also represents a $27 million (51%) increase in travel costs from two years ago.
“That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever,” said Joel Sawyer, spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford. “Our state should be looking for ways to cut travel expenses, not increase them, and travel should certainly be one of the first avenues for cutting back during the budget times we’re currently in.”
By Hold on a second.... November 24, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Are you saying that the 3 biggest spenders in the House were Sandifer, Owens, and Cooper?
Aren’t they slated to all be committee chairman (LCI, Education, W&M respectively). What a great message to send: spend a lot, get to be a chairman.
When will it stop?
By StupidShouldHurtMore (SSHM) November 24, 2008 at 3:03 pm
It MUST be a slow news day to post this non-news story.
Go figure. Two members of the SC General Assembly that live a tremendous distance from the State House rack up expenses traveling to and fro.
Sen. Alexander … Walhalla to Columbia … one way … 140+ miles.
Rep. Sandifer … Seneca to Columbia … one way … 130+ miles.
I’m shocked … SHOCKED … that two people who live a great distance from where they work would incur a significant expense in traveling to and from their place of employment. Nice work, Sherlock.
- SSHM
PS: Ever take a SC Geography course? I hear they are offered in SC Public Schools.
By fitsnews November 24, 2008 at 3:41 pm
SSHM,
We were actually among the first fans of SC Geography, one of the few ETV shows that teaches kids something … and yes, we watched it courtesy of South Carolina Public Schools.
As for your contention regarding the travel distances, all of the Representatives and Senators we mentioned in our report (with the exception of Cooper) incurred extensive out-of-state travel costs that inflated their numbers.
Very few Representatives saw fit to rack up thousands of dollars in out-of-state travel, but Sandifer, Alexander, Fair, Owens and Rankin each did.
Where did they go on those trips? Who knows … but their numbers are higher because they traveled more, not because they had further to travel than the average lawmaker.
FITS
By C'mon People November 24, 2008 at 4:00 pm
The Governors office(s) spent 2,603,202.00 on travel and transportation in 2007-08 FY – 847,433.00 in travel and 1,755,769 in transportation costs. In FY 2006-07 the expenses were 2,290,187.00 approximately 300k increase. To better shed light, your readers should know that the cost of fuel increases dramatically and there was a increase in mileage reimbursement.
By Question November 24, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Can you provide a link to this info? I cannot locate the individual reports–I can only find the general agency/department reports. Thanks.
By Recovering Lobbyist November 24, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I agree with SSHM. Spin it any way you want, FITSNEWS, but this is a nonstory.
Do the math. You live 130 plus miles from the State House. At $.50 a mile, that is going to cost the state close to $150 roundtrip just for mileage. Add to that the $95 per diem each legislator receives (that must cover hotel, food, incidentals), and a legislator from one of the far reaches of our state can easily rack up $9,000 a year without any extras.
If that legislator is anything but a seatwarmer, they are going to be in Columbia far more than the 3 days a week, 21 weeks a year dictated by their job. Committee Chairmen are in Columbia virtually every week.
Criticize them if you want, but we pay legislators $10,400 a year PLUS expenses. Throw in their expenses and the $6,000 we give them for their office in the district and they are pulling down a mind-boggling $25,000 to $30,000 a year doing the people’s business.
If, on the other hand, we paid a decent wage, we might find the talent you think is lacking at the State House.
I don’t know what out-of-town trips you could be referring to, but it looks to me like you have a beef with maybe a handful of legislators. Give us specifics about these out-of-town trips or find something worthwhile to write about.
By fitsnews November 24, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Damn, the chattering class has their panties wadded tight today!
Oh well, when they can’t argue the facts, out come the knives.
For anybody who wants to take a look at the travel reports, go to this link …
http://www.cg.state.sc.us/
… and then click on “Publications” (it’s the incredibly annoying “clip-art” tab, BTW).
Their are five annual travel reports available for your perusal on that page.
FITS
By WMD November 24, 2008 at 4:38 pm
SSHM is right and Will is wrong. AGAIN.
Will the only panties in a wad right now are yours and Nikki Haley’s and this is your desperate attempt to fix them.
The only difference is that this time people are calling you out.
Go back to Sandifer’s website. It clearly says that he supports less government and lower taxes.
What is your jusftication for saying he is a “liberal?”
That’s what WMD thought.
By clemsonstudent November 24, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Thanks C’mon people.
Let’s talk about the hypocrisy of the statement from the Governor’s office. The governor’s office has an increase of travel expenses but asserts that these figures make no sense and that we should be cutting travel expenses, not increasing them. Try leading by example.
With the increase in fuel costs and reimbursement, these figures seem about right. Also, enjoyed the post by Recovering Lobbyist. It’s a wonder there are any citizens willing to consider public service with the compensation/travel benefits they receive.
By clemsonstudent November 24, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Also, it’s easily understandable why the S.C. Judicial Department has such high travel expenses. With Judges having to go from circuit to circuit presiding over trials, especially the at-large judges who are probably on the road more often than not, it’s no wonder why their expenses would increase with the increase of fuel costs and reimbursements.
By BIN News Editorial Staff November 24, 2008 at 6:25 pm
sic(k) willie continues to spin (distort) the facts to fit his political agenda. Fortunately, BIN News is no longer alone in recognizing his scams.
You’ve been out’ed sic(k) willie. Repeatedly.
BIN News Editorial Staff
Always with Flair and Balance
By psycho conservative November 24, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Is it me or does that picture of Sandifer look like he is about to bust one? I’m just asking.
By Tracy Edge November 24, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Fits: just a little fYI. My travel is reported as the highest in the state among Legislators only because I have the farthest commute of anyone. Mine represents only the 20 weeks of travel to session and back to NMB. Several others qppear to have lots of extra trips to Columbia. Personally if I dont have to go then I don’t go. And if I do I generally eat the costs myself. Just thought someone might want to know. What the CG ought to do is report the extra non session travel in a different spreadsheet.
By Earl Capps November 24, 2008 at 9:19 pm
On the issue of milage … standard milage reimbursement (which my company pays me when I use my personal POS vehicle) was .445/mile in 2006. In 2008, the rate was .585/mile. That’s right about a 30% increase in two years, which may well accounts for over half the increase right there.
Judges usually don’t get to choose where they’re assigned, so most, if not all of their travel expenses aren’t really anything they have any control over.
Not to say I don’t doubt there’s room for improvement, but thus far, I’m having a hard time seeing where the fire’s at. If you really want to give us a story, find some of the more extravagant examples for our reading consumption. I have no doubt there’s some juicy tidbits out there, waiting to be found and drug into the light of day.
By the way – am I the only one who actually uses their name when they respond to comments anymore?
By Spenda Splenda November 24, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Maybe Bill Spendifer should be Chair of the Travelling Committee…coming soon to a community near you. Wait, SC doesn’t have any dry counties, right?
By Hal November 25, 2008 at 7:24 am
I am an insider.
There is fat. Lots of fat.
Will is on to it.
Cut the fat. just cut the fat.
By Joseph Reynolds November 25, 2008 at 10:00 am
Im curious why the Governors spending wasnt included in the report? Where did his spending rank in relation to the other departments in the state? And how many employees are covered by his spending?
By fitsnews November 25, 2008 at 10:17 am
Joseph,
The Governor’s Office itself spent just $17,383 on travel … which we felt was minimal.
The Governor’s Office of Executive Policy and Programs (which handles direct constituent service to the people of South Carolina) spent much more – $385,410, but that travel (like it or don’t like it) has nothing to do with Sanford.
Where people are getting the $2 million figure for Sanford’s travel, we’re not quite sure.
FITS
By C'mon People November 25, 2008 at 12:57 pm
People are getting the 2 million dollar figure from direct offices of the governor, under transportation and travel. You can’t just pick and choose what you want to show. It’s all there, all under his DIRECT supervision.
By Toyota Kawaski November 26, 2008 at 11:10 am
Once again Gov.Moonbeam may i kis your ass Sir.Keep sucken eggs Fits