It’s very interesting that the best criticism Policy Council detractors can muster (i.e. SSHM) is that the report “only” offers five great suggestions. If SAP would contribute to the solution then why haven’t you fought for it?

I’ll give you one. Under my math that makes it 5-1 Policy Council. Your move. Wow, we’re making progress already.

Are you going to address the issues I have posed or are you intent on attacking the poster (for what reason I am not sure). It’s all factual.

- SSHM

Oh, and Bin, who exactly are you a fraud for? Clearly not Howie Rich, an independent man who spends his own money to fight for better schools in SC. No, BIN….you are the front man for the people who don’t want to change one thing about their schools, including posting check registers online. Actually, Ross. YOu aren’t doing bad spin, but no one is buying it anymore. But then, if we spent the education dollars that went to you on programs we needed, who knows what would have happened?

Public wants this, guys. Policy Council ain’t playing on this one.
get ready for some fireworks! I hear all kind of things are gonna be flying around this year…..

BIN News is no longer impressed by bogus PACS fronting as grass roots groups.

sic(k) willie, you and your buds are such frauds. Everyone knows it.

Read over that Policy Council Transparency Report. The real story is what is NOT printed. Look specifically at pages 3 and 4 about the cost of transparency.

Quoting from the report:

“The public is clearly aware that today’s modern technology makes it easy for government to provide real-time spending information and legislative bodies across the nation have responded in force. South Carolina has a clear opportunity to embrace the coming transparency revolution by being proactive and expanding its transparency requirements now to include local governments and school districts.”

What the public clearly ISN’T aware of is the major discrepancies and fiefdoms of technology that litter state and local governments. While modern technology does afford those opportunities, the state and its various political subdivisions have NOT standardized on technology – thus the perceived leverage in modern technology is just that – perception and not reality.

If memory serves me correctly, I think it was the Legislative Audit Council, sometime in the early-to-mid 1990s, completed a study on the “cost of inoperability” between the various IT structures in state government. That study revealed the staggering cost to exchange information between different state agencies.

If the SC Policy Council and your “news” group want to continue to push for transparency, stop speaking in platitudes and put a real plan to paper. Here – let me give you a start:

1.) Standardize on SAP for Public Sector for all state agencies.
2.) Provide funding to South Carolina’s various political subdivisions to convert to SAP for Public Sector.
3.) Withhold state funding to political subdivisions if they fail to convert.

One system – linked – instant access.

Now just call it Skynet, make it self-aware, and …

Next time you’re over at the Policy Office, convey my disappointment at Cox for just pointing out examples and not providing a solution in this report. If you are going to be a think tank, by God, be a think tank.

- SSHM