Anger, vitriol and frustration were flowing at a rate the water system could only dream of Monday.

Two of South Carolina’s newest elected officials tried to deal with an old problem at a town meeting in Graniteville called to discuss the area’s rapidly deteriorating water and sewer system.

Sen. Shane Massey and Rep. Tom Young gave an update on their work to find a solution to problems, took questions and were themselves a target of frustration. [Read more...]

Since my last column three weeks ago, a lot has been happening at the South Carolina House of Representatives. The purpose of this column is to keep you informed about what is going at your State House.

First, in addition to the bills described in my last column that I am sponsoring or cosponsoring, I have sponsored or cosponsored additional bills, including legislation to provide a long-term care insurance premium state tax deduction; to eliminate the Employment Security Commission and put that agency under a new department reporting directly to the Governor, to require photo identification when voting in an election and to allow our school district to have more flexibility in how it allocates its funding resources. [Read more...]

The House of Representatives met three days this week with work taking place in committees and on the House floor. The full Ways and Means Committee met again to discuss the state budget. Because of the federal stimulus package uncertainty, the Ways and Means Committee will not submit a budget to the full House until late next week. The House will debate the budget the week of March 9. The budget situation is very fluid due to requirements attached to some of the money being offered in South Carolina’s portion of the federal stimulus package. [Read more...]

The next town meeting is on Monday, February 23, 2009 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School in Graniteville. All citizens of District 81 are invited to attend. Senator Shane Massey will join me in providing an update to citizens as to issues at the State House and around the district. Please come if you can attend.

Tom Young wants you to come back to his site to get updates on legislation that effects Aiken county and welcomes you to come to his town meetings!

The House of Representatives met three days this week with work taking place in committees and on the House floor. The full Ways and Means Committee met to discuss the state budget. Because of the federal stimulus package uncertainty, the Ways and Means Committee will not submit a budget to the full House for at least another week. The full Ways and Means Committee voted to end the TERI program to new enrollees effective July 1, 2009 and it voted not to provide funding for the State Conservation Bank for previously identified and approved conservation projects. The budget situation is somewhat fluid until we know more certainty about South Carolina’s portion of the federal stimulus package. [Read more...]

The next town meeting is on Monday, February 23, 2009 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School in Graniteville. All citizens of District 81 are invited to attend. Senator Shane Massey will join me in providing an update to citizens as to issues at the State House and around the district. Please come if you can attend.

He has served in the S.C. House for barely a month, but Rep. Tom Young, R-Aiken, is co-sponsoring some bills that potentially could have a huge impact on state politics.

Young and Rep. Ted Pitts, R-Lexington, have introduced legislation in the House that would call for gubernatorial nominees to name following the primaries a running mate to serve as lieutenant governor. Currently, candidates for that post run in separate elections from the gubernatorial candidates.

Perhaps even more significantly, Young has introduced and gotten co-sponsors for a measure that could result in up to six constitutional offices becoming positions appointed by the governor. [Read more...]

Thank you to all of the people who came to my first town meeting in the district on Monday, February 2, 2009 at Odell Weeks Center. We had nearly 40 people who attended for all or portions of the discussion. In addition to my giving an update as to the legislation that I am sponsoring or co-sponsoring, I answered questions about roll call voting; education; pay day lending; state government restructuring; the cigarette tax; off shore drilling; and the state tax code. The next town meeting is on Monday, February 23, 2009 from 6 pm to 7:30 pm at Leavelle McCampbell Middle School in Graniteville. All citizens of District 81 are invited to attend.

The House of Representatives met three days this week with most of the work occurring in committees. The Ways and Means Committee continued to hold hearings on various sections of the state budget. The full Ways and Means Committee will meet the week of February 9 as they prepare to submit a budget to the full House. I have spoken to several committee members about concerns of citizens in our district including conservation bank funding; state retiree health insurance; K-12 education; higher education; and funding for the “meals on wheels” program.

The Judiciary Committee met and approved bills including a bill that will require a woman seeking an abortion to wait 24 hours after getting an ultrasound test conducted by her physician before having the procedure performed.

A subcommittee of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill intended to protect South Carolina’s native turtle population. I am a sponsor of this bill and it is of great importance to the staff at the Savannah River Ecology Lab in Aiken County. The bill now heads to the full Committee. [Read more...]