South Carolina’s “Republican” leaders have saddled the taxpayers of this state with an unconstitutional $100 million deficit for the recently-concluded fiscal year, according to data released Friday by S.C. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom … and to make matters worse the fiscal prognosis isn’t looking any brighter for the current year.
In officially closing the state’s books for fiscal year 2008-09 – which ended on June 30 – Eckstrom disclosed that lawmakers had overspent the resources available to them by $98.2 million, even after raiding both the Capital Reserve Fund (to the tune of $133.2 million) and the General Reserve Fund (to the tune of another $108.1 million).
Here’s an excerpt from Eckstrom’s report:
For the fiscal year, actual revenue collections were $1.2 billion less than the estimates used to form original spending plans. As South Carolina’s economy deteriorated and estimated revenues failed to materialize, midyear spending cuts and other actions lowered — based on numerous revised revenue estimates during the year — the amounts state agencies were authorized to spend by $974.7 million. Yet in the end these revised estimates were still too optimistic, resulting in $98.2 million of excess spending even after exhausting the state’s Capital Reserve Fund (used entire $133.2 million) and General Reserve Fund (used entire $108.1 million).
The fact that the state overspent by nearly $100 million once again underscores the need to re-examine the prevailing philosophy about spending, to close the gap between what we spend and what we can afford. We must set priorities – identifying those essential things state government should do and resisting the urge to spend on things that are less essential or can be delayed until better economic times.
Yup … worse still, this bad news is obviously in addition to the $200 million shortfall the state is already running for the current fiscal year (2009-10), which began on July 1. Speaking of which, the state legislative leaders who run the executive branch of government refused on Thursday to adjust spending downward based on the current shortfall, holding out hope that new estimates scheduled to be released next Friday will paint a more optimistic picture.
One of South Carolina’s most fiscally-conservative lawmakers, S.C. Sen. Tom Davis, said Saturday that “hoping for the best” is not the answer.
“This goes to the very heart of why spending reform is needed in state government,” said Davis. “Unless strict spending caps are imposed on the General Assembly, we’re going to continue to see this sort of poor financial management of the people’s resources.”
Davis said the timing of the combined deficit of $300 million couldn’t be worse for South Carolina taxpayers.
“You would think that in an economy like this one — in which South Carolinians are struggling to make ends meet — state leaders might have shown some restraint,” he said. “Obviously, that didn’t happen last year and it didn’t happen this year, and South Carolina taxpayers are now in the hole hundreds of millions of dollars as a result.”
The good news? Davis said that he would once again be proposing a common sense budget next year as an alternative to the status quo spending plan.
“We proposed an alternative budget earlier this year that would have funded core services at their highest levels ever without using stimulus funds and without putting the state in a hole,” Davis said. “Unfortunately, legislative leaders ignored that budget and chose to continue spending money we didn’t have at a time when taxpayers could least afford it.”
In case you forgot, here are the fourteen “Republican” State Senators who voted against Davis’ common sense budget earlier this year:
Thomas Alexander
Paul Campbell
John Courson
Ronnie Cromer
Mike Fair
Wes Hayes
Jake Knotts
Hugh Leatherman
Larry Martin
Glenn McConnell
Billy O’Dell*
Harvey Peeler
Luke Rankin
David Thomas
In fact, why not pay a visit the S.C. Senate web page right now and thank these idiots for the massive deficit they’ve saddled you with?
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to thank the equally brain-dead “Republican” leadership in the House – S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell, Ways & Means Chairman Danny Cooper, Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, Speaker Pro Tem Harry Cato, LCI Chairman Bill Sandifer and former Majority leader Jimmy Merrill, among others.
Seriously … is there anyone in a leadership position in state government who cares about the taxpayers?
WEB EXTRA
Comptroller General’s Statement
*Sen. O’Dell was not present for the vote but publicly stated that he would have voted against the common sense budget.
By Cooter Brown August 15, 2009 at 12:51 pm
How manie times I got t’ say dat dere ain nair a bit ov difference betwixt publicans (Republickans )& sinners (Democraps) [ref. Mark 2:13ff, KJV, jest in case yer readers ain't Bible literate an' dont git my play on werds...]
If’n ye dont git outta dat paradigm (yep, I knows big werds), den weeze all done fer!
They is thiefs, liars, cheets, an’ frauds. Wee needs t’ bring back da duel an’ settle some scores lik we did back in my younger daze. If’n ye break yer werd, you wuz called in hit an’ some bodie mite jest die…
By Cooter Brown August 15, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Whare did my post go, Mista Willie– jest dist-a-peered… poof! Maybe hit wuz jest too hot fer yer thin skinned readers…
Maybe I’m a being paraniod. Hit’s hard t’ rite lik I speak an’ den try an go bak, ye know what I’s mean, jelly bean? :)
By lou lou August 15, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I out on a limb here but maybe Boyd Brown…..
seems like a good man to me.
By Interested August 15, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Leave the Republican leadership alone. They are all on the way to Winston-Salem for a Legislative Conference to teach them how to spend more money. They are even taking their staff so there will be no confusion with the spending next year.
By Fits Lies August 15, 2009 at 2:35 pm
If the idiot Republican theory of never having to pay any taxes and still expecting all the services the public demands were not the norm in SC, maybe we would have had the money to pay for our obligations. Up the cigarette tax, tax food, get rid of the limit on sales tax of only $300 no matter what you purchase, and repeal the property tax relief (my tax bill is so light I am embarrassed even though my property value is in excess of $1 mill)…the economic theories you “true” Republicans have brought upon us is why we are in the dire straights we are now in. Continue to fed the corporate pig and billionares and starve the schools…more than anything else, the lack of education of the people in this state that moves companies to NC….it’s not the taxes…..
By Karla M. McGowan August 15, 2009 at 2:53 pm
This comment is on the decision to let the Ethics Commission investigate Sanford’s wrong-doings. Why isn’t the S.C. Legislative Audit Council doing the investigation. They are not beholden to sanford and this is not new ground. They audited Governor Beasley and his many problems and issued a scathing report.
By Ron August 15, 2009 at 2:54 pm
“One of South Carolina’s most fiscally-conservative lawmakers, S.C. Sen. Tom Davis, said Saturday that “hoping for the best” is not the answer.
“This goes to the very heart of why spending reform is needed in state government,” said Davis. “Unless strict spending caps are imposed on the General Assembly, we’re going to continue to see this sort of poor financial management of the people’s resources.”
Davis said the timing of the combined deficit of $300 million couldn’t be worse for South Carolina taxpayers”
AMEN SEN DAVIS!! PLEASE CALL THESE LAWMAKERS OUT!! BEHIND THE WOODSHED THAT IS!!! LOL
By K Trane August 15, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Super news! I wonder how much of my taxes went to pay for Innovista, educrat vacations, and other wasteless spending.
By w-s August 15, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I couldn’t say it any better thann “Fits Lies.”
By StupidShouldHurtMore (SSHM) August 15, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Spewing lies again?
From your article:
” … the fourteen “Republican” State Senators who voted against Davis’ common sense budget earlier this year …”
It was never Davis’ budget to begin with and you know it. A cursory review of the mountain of emails released from Governor “Where In The World Is Carmen” Sanford demonstrates otherwise. Specifically …
Wolfe Reports – The Sanford Emails: Blinding Flash Of The Obvious
http://www.wolfereports.com/?p=2846
The section you want is called “The Alternative Budget.” In that section, you will see Jeff Schiliz state the following to the Governor (Dated 10 April 2009):
“Governor – As we discussed yesterday we have prepared a budget for some Senators to offer as an alternative budget to what Senate Finance will produce. A memo summarizing this budget is attached . . . ”
Don’t make Mister Anti-Ports-Authority out to being some sort of genius when it comes to fiscal matters. It would appear he’s good with using an eraser and taking credit for Mr. Schiliz’s work tho (per your article asserting that it was Davis’ alternative budget).
WEAK WILL … W–E–A–K!
- SSHM
By Mab August 15, 2009 at 5:09 pm
“some bodie mite jest die…”
We know what you mean, Mister Cooter.
By Jeff August 15, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Will – how about the (soon-to-be if not already) $1 Billion loan that SC has taken out for unemployment benefits? If I understand things correctly, that loan will be due in two years. Considering the state’s budget was $5.6 Billion, then 1/5th of the entire budget will be needed to pay down the debt……that is one reason why the Gov’s plan to use any “stimulus dollars” to pay down debt seemed like such a good idea to me
By James the Foot Soldier August 15, 2009 at 10:49 pm
thinking here….trying to remember who the FIRST fitsnews poster that said the budget passed was unconstitutional….LAST SUMMER???
And that if we had a real Attorney General in this state he should have stepped up to the plate???
hint….
the dude with the big honkin’ USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier avatar….
By bob August 16, 2009 at 8:28 am
And please everyone note that: This does not include the “Stimulus” money we have to pay back, and this very group of RINOs are the ones who worked so hard against Sanford on the budget for his entire term.
Not saying Sanford is an angel, but on this issue HE IS RIGHT!
By Webster August 17, 2009 at 10:03 am
Definition of a Republican- budget busting, fiscally irresponsible, two-faced, white fat cats, tied to corporate interests at the expense of the average citizen, uses religion to gain votes, void of ideas
By columbia insider August 17, 2009 at 3:11 pm
SSHM — do you even follow SC politics? If you did you would have seen Sen. Davis in the well of the Senate easily handling each and every question that was thrown at him by state senators about the alternative budget proposed by him and Sen. Ryberg — and that on top of the detailed review of the budget he provided to the finance committee. You would also have seen him acknowledge the help on the budget provided by the governor’s staff. More to the point, Sen. Davis and Sen. Ryberg argued that $200 million should be set aside for contingencies, just in case financial projections were not as rosy as predicted, and their budget showed a way of making that happen. Our state would be in a lot better shape right now if their budget had been adopted.
By Say What? August 17, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Columbia Insider:
I watched Senator Davis get chewed up when he presented his altenative. He had a difficult time answering very simple questions about his alternative. What you did not say was that Ryberg’s and Davis’ plan gave a lump sum to a specific department under the luv gov’s cabinet that would have been used to balance the budget at the expense of very poor people and would have cost SC millions in matched funds. Do not give me that RINO crap. I have been a republican before there was a republican party in SC. The Senator from WIS and NJ need to go back there before it is to late! The luv gov and all of the refomers who have had their noses stuck up his butt (Ryberg, Davis and Halley) need to move on before they get defeated. All three of these have been blind to a very sick man who has displayed wierd behavior since he took office. If they cannot recognize a very oblivous sick person then they do not need to be telling us how to do things! I put as much blame on them as I do the luv gov. He has an excuse (sick in the mind). They don’t have an excuse for blindly following him!
One pissed off republican.
By Toyota Kawaski August 18, 2009 at 8:20 am
Tom Davis like 7up never had it never will