June 21 to June 27, 2011
The House of Representatives session for 2011 is about to end. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:
State Budget: Both the House and Senate adopted the budget conference report this past week. Some of the highlights in the state’s budget this year include money that was not spent and instead set aside for items like debt repayment and rainy day reserve accounts. This includes $146 million to unemployment debt repayment, up to $261 million which fully funds increases to the General Reserve Fund five years ahead of schedule, $104.8 million dedicated to an additional back-up reserve account, and $198.6 million to fully fund general obligation bond payments, $196.4 million to be returned to communities to aid local government. Also, as reported last week, the base student funding amount for the public schools is increased substantially over the appropriation for the current fiscal year. The Governor now has the budget and will issue her vetoes by Tuesday.
House Returns Wednesday for Vetoes: The House returns to Columbia on Wednesday to consider the Governor’s vetoes.
Immigration Bill Passes: After lengthy debate last Tuesday afternoon, the House gave final approval to Senate changes in the Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act. The legislation requires police in South Carolina to check suspects’ legal status and mandates that all businesses check their new hires through a federal online system.
Reform Measures Stall: Seventeen senators defeated efforts last week to take up four government restructuring reforms that are pending in the Senate. Unless something changes this week, the bills will have to wait until January for further consideration. The House has already passed all four reforms.
S.C. #1 for Economic Growth Potential: Our state has recently been ranked #1 for ‘economic growth potential‘ by Business Facilities magazine. South Carolina also ranks #4 among all states for having the ‘best business climate’. We also rank #3 in ‘automotive manufacturing strength’ ahead of Michigan! To get the full story, go here.
Palmetto Amateur Tournament in Aiken: The 2011 Palmetto Amateur golf tournament will be in Aiken at the Palmetto Golf Club from July 20 to 23. The event is one of the top amateur golf events in the United States. To learn more about the event, go here: www.palmettoamateur.com .
GED Classes at Christ Central: If you know of someone who needs to earn their GED, Christ Central in Aiken offers both pre-GED classes and an intensive GED course. For more information, call (803) 564-5902, ext. 0.
Help for Displaced SRS Workers: If you or someone you know lost a job at SRS, there is a One-Stop Transition Center open in downtown Aiken at Park Avenue and Laurens Street to assist workers displaced at SRS with finding new work. The Center is open from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.workforce.psa-inc.com.
Aiken County Public Library Summer Reading Program: The annual summer reading program for children through the 5th grade has started at the Aiken County Public Library. The Program runs through July 30. Children who read the required number of books will receive a medal and a certificate of completion. Reading is essential to doing well in school. Please encourage as many young people as you can to read this summer. For more information, call the Aiken County Public Library at 642-2020 or go to this link: http://www.abbe-lib.org/ . This program is paid for with private donations from the Friends of the Public Library.
Report Waste, Fraud and Abuse in State Government: To report waste, fraud and abuse in state government, you can call: 1-855-SC-FRAUD.
Roll Call Voting: There is a new link available to keep up with all the roll call votes in the S.C. House. That link can be accessed at either my website at www.reptomyoung.com or at the www.scstatehouse.gov website.
Facebook: I have a Facebook page for Representative Tom Young. Please “like” the page to receive updates during the week from me on Facebook.
Tom Young’s Website: My updated website can be reached at www.reptomyoung.com. There are links to a variety of constituent services; the status of sponsored bills; and roll call votes. Please add my web site as a bookmark on your computer.
State House Tours: Tours are available for the S.C. State House by calling (803) 734-2430.
Email Updates: If you know of people in or around District 81 who do not receive my updates but they would like to, please email their names and email addresses to me.
Road Issues: If you see a road problem, call the SCDOT at 641-7665 or Aiken County at 642-1532 to report the problem. If you do not get a prompt response, please let me know at TomYoung@schouse.gov or call me. Generally, most paved roads in the County are maintained by SCDOT and are identified on the road sign poles by a small black and white sign listing the road number, such as S-2-1669. Most unpaved roads in the County are maintained by the County.
Thank you for the opportunity and the honor to represent you. Please let me know if I can help you in any way or if you have questions about these or other issues. Your feedback is meaningful and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Tom Young
649-0000 (o)
215-3631 (cell)
P.S. Please visit www.reptomyoung.com for more posts, news, video updates, and, if you have Twitter, please click here to start following me!
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