SC

SC Borrows Millions For Roads

South Carolina politicians are not allowed to run deficits. But they are allowed to borrow untold sums of money that taxpayers are obligated to pay back … including the state’s latest $120 million handout to aircraft manufacturer Boeing. This week, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill authorizing an additional…

South Carolina politicians are not allowed to run deficits. But they are allowed to borrow untold sums of money that taxpayers are obligated to pay back … including the state’s latest $120 million handout to aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

This week, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill authorizing an additional $700 million in borrowing – most of it slated for road repairs.

Haley’s scandal-plagued, incompetent Department of Transportation (SCDOT) has made a mess of the Palmetto State’s infrastructure situation over the last few years. How bad have things gotten? SCDOT has effectively stopped all paving and maintenance work on South Carolina roadways – while relying on a bailout from Barack Obama to make sure its inflated bureaucracy continues to get paid.

More disturbingly, Haley and her appointees to various state boards and commissions have continued to support unnecessary transportation projects (like Interstate 73 and Interstate 526) – which shift resources away from overdue repairs and move that money toward projects like this.

Fiscal conservatives in the S.C. General Assembly are outraged.

In fact three of them – Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg), Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) and Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg) – penned an oped recently decrying this latest round of borrowing.

“The South Carolina Senate loves to spend other people’s money,” the three Senators wrote. “That we have always known. Now, the Senate has found the path to spend the money of other people’s children, and it will become a well-worn path until the taxpayers say ‘NO!'”

Exactly …

Taxpayers probably thought they were saying “NO!” when they elected Haley in 2010, but the “Tea Party” governor has proven to be anything but a reliable fiscal conservative.

***

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34 comments

southmauldin June 24, 2013 at 12:49 pm

I-73 will be Haley’s bridge to nowhere. She’ll tout it for all it’s worth, then when it loses momentum, she’ll turn against it just like her mentor Caribou Barbie.

Reply
Finius Nullis June 24, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Caribou Barbie – who is she?

Reply
GreenvilleLwyr June 24, 2013 at 1:18 pm

Sarah Palin.

You betcha!

Reply
9" June 24, 2013 at 9:14 pm

some guys still play with dolls.I like my men hairy
and macho and preferably uncut,with at least 7 inches,or at least a greedy butt hole,a winking at me…;this is a fun song to fuck to…(PSA)

you’re welcum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGdCTy-Vm7o

Reply
southmauldin June 24, 2013 at 12:49 pm

I-73 will be Haley’s bridge to nowhere. She’ll tout it for all it’s worth, then when it loses momentum, she’ll turn against it just like her mentor Caribou Barbie.

Reply
Finius Nullis June 24, 2013 at 1:10 pm

Caribou Barbie – who is she?

Reply
GreenvilleLwyr June 24, 2013 at 1:18 pm

Sarah Palin.

You betcha!

Reply
9" June 24, 2013 at 9:14 pm

some guys still play with dolls.I like my men hairy
and macho and preferably uncut,with at least 7 inches,or at least a greedy butt hole,a winking at me…;this is a fun song to fuck to…(PSA)

you’re welcum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGdCTy-Vm7o

Reply
Joe Taxpayer June 24, 2013 at 1:14 pm

‘Taxpayers are obligated to pay back the state’s latest $120 million handout to Boeing’. Pay back to who? Where did that money come from? Was it a cash transaction, or tax credits? Do you even Know?

Reply
Sam June 24, 2013 at 2:40 pm

South Carolina borrows $120 million. It pays back roughly $170 million over 15 years. Taxpayers pick up the tab.
It is a simple deal.

Reply
Joe Taxpayer June 24, 2013 at 1:14 pm

‘Taxpayers are obligated to pay back the state’s latest $120 million handout to Boeing’. Pay back to who? Where did that money come from? Was it a cash transaction, or tax credits? Do you even Know?

Reply
Sam June 24, 2013 at 2:40 pm

South Carolina borrows $120 million. It pays back roughly $170 million over 15 years. Taxpayers pick up the tab.
It is a simple deal.

Reply
CNSYD June 24, 2013 at 1:34 pm

“SCDOT has effectively stopped all paving and maintenance work” Apparently the SCDOT and contractors in the northwest part of the state haven’t heard that yet.

Reply
Frank Pytel June 24, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Too bad. I wish they would. I own a truck. Fuck’em

Reply
CNSYD June 24, 2013 at 1:34 pm

“SCDOT has effectively stopped all paving and maintenance work” Apparently the SCDOT and contractors in the northwest part of the state haven’t heard that yet.

Reply
Frank Pytel June 24, 2013 at 1:52 pm

Too bad. I wish they would. I own a truck. Fuck’em

Reply
kc June 24, 2013 at 1:42 pm

“three of them – Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg), Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) and Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg)”
Which one is Moe?

Reply
CNSYD June 24, 2013 at 1:57 pm

Bryant would have to be Curly as he is from Anderson which Sic Willie bad mouths every chance he gets.

Reply
kc June 24, 2013 at 1:42 pm

“three of them – Lee Bright (R-Spartanburg), Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) and Shane Martin (R-Spartanburg)”
Which one is Moe?

Reply
CNSYD June 24, 2013 at 1:57 pm

Bryant would have to be Curly as he is from Anderson which Sic Willie bad mouths every chance he gets.

Reply
idiotwind June 24, 2013 at 2:19 pm

anyone notice the sound barrier going up on I-20 on the side of the highway where there is nothing but a few trailer parks across from sesquicentennial? wanna bet there’s a developer with mcmansion plans for that land who managed to get the SCDOT to make his property more valuable for him? i’m pretty sure it wasn’t the lobbying might of the mexican workers currently living there.

Reply
Cleveland Steamer June 24, 2013 at 11:46 pm

ooh ooh ooh (hand raised)……. I’ve always wanted to ask this question. I know what sesquicentennial means, but what year is it celebrating? Doing mild research I’m thinking it was designated 1930ish.

Reply
idiotwind June 24, 2013 at 2:19 pm

anyone notice the sound barrier going up on I-20 on the side of the highway where there is nothing but a few trailer parks across from sesquicentennial? wanna bet there’s a developer with mcmansion plans for that land who managed to get the SCDOT to make his property more valuable for him? i’m pretty sure it wasn’t the lobbying might of the mexican workers currently living there.

Reply
Cleveland Steamer June 24, 2013 at 11:46 pm

ooh ooh ooh (hand raised)……. I’ve always wanted to ask this question. I know what sesquicentennial means, but what year is it celebrating? Doing mild research I’m thinking it was designated 1930ish.

Reply
? June 24, 2013 at 2:26 pm

“South Carolina politicians are not allowed to run deficits. But they are allowed to borrow untold sums of money”

Geez, I know this statement is accurate….but it is almost so ridiculous sounding that it seems like it belongs as the storyline in a Dr. Seuss book:

“I know not what a dollar is, but I’ll spend it until I jizz.”

“I know not what’s in my pocket, but why do I care when it’s YOU that’ll pay for my rocket?”

Reply
? June 24, 2013 at 2:26 pm

“South Carolina politicians are not allowed to run deficits. But they are allowed to borrow untold sums of money”

Geez, I know this statement is accurate….but it is almost so ridiculous sounding that it seems like it belongs as the storyline in a Dr. Seuss book:

“I know not what a dollar is, but I’ll spend it until I jizz.”

“I know not what’s in my pocket, but why do I care when it’s YOU that’ll pay for my rocket?”

Reply
Ronald Regan June 24, 2013 at 3:03 pm

Well Kevin Bryant is sucking off the tit of Medicaid, typical two-faced grandstanding! Check out yesterday’s State newspaper, all these guys talk a lot but continue to feed at the trough. If they really believed what they say they would not be participating in Medicaid, Worker’s Compensation, etc. where they make all their money off taxpayers!

Reply
Ronald Regan June 24, 2013 at 3:03 pm

Well Kevin Bryant is sucking off the tit of Medicaid, typical two-faced grandstanding! Check out yesterday’s State newspaper, all these guys talk a lot but continue to feed at the trough. If they really believed what they say they would not be participating in Medicaid, Worker’s Compensation, etc. where they make all their money off taxpayers!

Reply
tomstickler June 24, 2013 at 4:36 pm

The problem is less the amount of money than it is that the SCDOT Commission and the State Infrastructure Bank are making the decisions where the money is to be spent.

Until projects are priority ranked, political back-scratching and lobbying will be influencing what gets done, and which areas are neglected.

BTW, I personally gave Alan Clemmons, head of the I-73/I-74/I-75 promotional group, a copy of my rebuttal to the I-73 Economic Impact Study all the I-73 fans quote from — 29,000 jobs!! — on May 1st, and asked him to let me know if I made any mistakes in it.

Nothin’ yet.

Reply
tomstickler June 24, 2013 at 4:36 pm

The problem is less the amount of money than it is that the SCDOT Commission and the State Infrastructure Bank are making the decisions where the money is to be spent.

Until projects are priority ranked, political back-scratching and lobbying will be influencing what gets done, and which areas are neglected.

BTW, I personally gave Alan Clemmons, head of the I-73/I-74/I-75 promotional group, a copy of my rebuttal to the I-73 Economic Impact Study all the I-73 fans quote from — 29,000 jobs!! — on May 1st, and asked him to let me know if I made any mistakes in it.

Nothin’ yet.

Reply
9" June 24, 2013 at 9:04 pm

REBUILD AMERICA FIRST!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UodJB1tRNVE

Reply
9" June 24, 2013 at 9:04 pm

REBUILD AMERICA FIRST!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UodJB1tRNVE

Reply
? June 25, 2013 at 8:46 am

Is it too much to hope that our governor will provoke drone strikes with hellfires on our state roads & bridges so that DC will send in troops to rebuild them all?

Reply
? June 25, 2013 at 8:46 am

Is it too much to hope that our governor will provoke drone strikes with hellfires on our state roads & bridges so that DC will send in troops to rebuild them all?

Reply

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