Report To Lift Hood On State Spending
Gov. Mark Sanford and State Sen. Tom Davis will join S.C. Policy Council president Ashley Landess tomorrow morning to unveil a new report that the organization says will lift the hood on state spending and provide taxpayers with their first “honest look” at the cost of government in the Palmetto State.
“We’re going to provide people with the first true picture of what government really costs in South Carolina,” says Bryan Cox, a Policy Council spokesman. “There are entire categories of the budget that most South Carolinians are unaware even exist.”
Cox declined to provide FITS with an advance copy of the report or discuss its specific findings, but he did say that the report would shed new light on multiple components of the state budget that are “commonly overlooked.”
“It’s safe to say that the actual cost of state government in South Carolina is more than double the $7 billion figure that’s commonly referred to,” Cox said. “And one of the most disturbing findings was to see the trend of the general fund as a percentage of state spending.”
Most mainstream media sources use general fund revenues and expenditures to define “state spending.”
However, this calculation fails to take into account billions of dollars in fees and other revenue generators that the state imposes on its citizens.
In addition to conveniently ignoring these huge piles of taxpayer cash, the mainstream media has also failed to report on an estimated $2 billion worth of local government surplus funds that have been carried over from previous budget years.
Cox wouldn’t say whether or not the report would address these unused surpluses, but he did say that the massive surplus funds were a result of the public “not having a clear view of where the money is coming from or where it is going.”
Hopefully, that view will become less hazy tomorrow.
Comments
By anonymous on February 9th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Someone needs to lift the hood on Slum Lord Mark Sanford and Tom Davis.
BTW, the slum is South Carolina.
By anonymous on February 9th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Charleston, SC Mayor Joe Riley Calls Out Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina on Stimulus Bill
Charleston Mayor Joe Riley said South Carolina’s governor should “energetically†support President Obama’s stimulus plan in light of the state’s dismal employment numbers.
Gov. Mark Sanford has been a high-profile opponent of the jobs plan, claiming it will only grow the nation’s deficit. But Riley said Tuesday that, in light of the state’s unemployement rate nearing 10 percent, Sanford’s first priority should be in securing pay checks for South Carolinians.
“The governor needs to feel responsible for the economic health of his state and the people of his state,†Riley said.
The White House says the stimulus will create 53,000 jobs in South Carolina, and increase tax cuts, tuition tax credits, and unemployment benefits.
http://news.ccpblogs.com/2009/02/09/mayor-riley-calls-out-sanford-on-stimulus-bill/
By Philip Branton on February 9th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Sic………..
I know this report to you is like the first STEP for Niel Armstrong…!! HA !
If is is truly …line by line …and in checkbook style, then it should be much easier to NAIL the culprits raiding the state’s coffers ..!!
We need to see ALL …FUEL …receipts !!! Who need to see who uses how much and when and get an overall read on tax dollars leaving OUR state to support foreign governments …!!!!
Hopefully ….school teachers will use the info to explain to the 16 and 17 year olds just exactly what these white old farts are leaving them to pay for ….til they DIE !!!!!!!!!!
Thank you …Bobby and Glenn for standing by Gov. Mark Sanford on accountability….!!!!
Tom Davis……you may have a heart …BEAT !
By Elmo on February 9th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
“whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that, whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them right.”
Thomas Jefferson
By Ron on February 9th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Thanks Elmo for leading us back to the ideology of the founders. If in reflecting upon their ideolgy we also discover the “faith of our fathers”, then we’re getting somewhere.
Thanks again Elmo!
By anonymous on February 9th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
South Carolina’s unemployment rate projected to reach (14) Fourteen percent by the summer
COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s economic forecasters announced today that the state’s unemployment rate is likely to reach 10.5 percent when figures are announced later this month.
The Board of Economic Advisors also agreed to take $190 million from revenue projections for the fiscal year that begins in July. At $6.1 billion, the state budget is back to what it was in 2004, essentially erasing five years of growth.
The board held off from cutting the current fiscal year’s budget, which put off additional midyear cuts for the time being.
John Rainey, the board chairman, said he does not see any immediate intervention coming to South Carolina that could stop the unemployment rate from reaching the projected 14 percent by the summer.
Rainey said he had hope that the stimulus package being drafted by Congress would send immediate relief to the state, but he has been given no reason to believe the stimulus plan will cause change quick enough.
“This is a right now issue,” he said.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/feb/09/state_unemployment_on_track_reach_percen71140/
By Can't Wait on February 9th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Can’t wait to see the mistakes in this one. The Policy Council’s “research” has been laden with errors in the past year. Looking forward to it!
By Leigh Ann on February 10th, 2009 at 1:05 am
What errors were in their research at the Policy Council? Hadn’t heard that. Well except for the Speaker complaining that they weren’t fair to him about the cost of roll call voting or something, and no one was buying that. But what other research was wrong from them? Must have missed that.
By Red Bank Bar on February 10th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Leigh Ann, the Policy Council thinks Herbert Hoover was right. What could be more wrong than a bunch of plutocrats upset they backed the wrong party and policies?
By Fashizzle on February 10th, 2009 at 8:28 am
You know the Policy Council is doing something right when our big government lovers are reduced to throwing out rumors.
By rick on February 10th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Sanford has spent the last 4 years warning the state legislators about the train wreck coming. The legislators overturned all of Sanfords vetos. Now that the train wreck has begun people want to hold Sanford responsible? Where was Joe Riley when Sanford was advocating fiscal responsibility? Just like the Dems….point the finger often enough and the stupid among us will believe. Change we can believe in……
By liz shepherd on February 10th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Oh let’s look for the fraudulent subsidies being paid on the ghost accounts inside the Social Security Administration.
I HAVE A GHOST that the state is financing and the state won’t correct this fiasco.
The ghost will make me loose my home.
The SSA and Community CCRX, a Medicare Part D insurance company based in NY state, want my ghost and to get rid of me.
They are abusing me beyond anyone’s wildest dreams and beyond anyone’s measure.
NO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WILL ASSIST ME- all complaints are REFUSED***