The House of Representatives returns to session tomorrow. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:
House of Representatives Convenes Tomorrow: The S.C. House meets tomorrow at 12:00 pm in Columbia to start the 2012 legislative session.
Public Input Meeting with State Department of Education: Tomorrow night at 6:00 pm (Tuesday, January 10), representatives from the State Department of Education will be at Millbrook Elementary conducting a meeting to receive input on the State’s request for flexibility from certain requirements of the Federal Government’s “No Child Left Behind Act.” The State’s draft waiver request can be found here. I will not be able to attend because of commitments on the first day of legislative session in Columbia tomorrow.
Master Public Safety Officer Scott Richardson: Last week, I posted information about how to help the family of Officer Richardson. Please remember his wife, 3 young sons, parents, brother, and extended family and friends in your prayers. To assist his wife and children, you may contribute to the following fund for their benefit:
Edward Scott
Richardson Children’s Fund
Savannah River Banking Co.
407 Silver Bluff Rd.
SW Aiken, SC 29803
Polling Locations for January 21 Republican Presidential Primary: On Saturday, January 21 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, the Republican Presidential Primary will be held in South Carolina. To see where your precinct will vote on that date, go here.
Absentee Voting for Republican Presidential Primary: To vote absentee for the presidential primary, you can go to the Voter Registration Office in person at 916 Vaucluse Road from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and then on Friday, January 20 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. To request a ballot to be mailed to you, call 642-2030 or 642-2028. If you have questions, call 642-2030.
Graniteville Train Disaster Memorial Ceremony: The Seventh Annual ceremony remembering the Graniteville Train Disaster was held this past Saturday afternoon at the Bethlehem Baptist Church. Because of a family commitment, I was unable to attend. I did send a letter which was shared with attendees. That letter can be seen here.
Feedback Requested — Planning for the 2012 Legislative Session: The 2012 legislative session convenes this week on January 10. I am seeking input from constituents on the critical issues facing our state and area including tax reform; spending reform; K-12 education; the costs of higher education; health care; economic development; job growth; and the unfunded liabilities in our state’s retirement systems. Your input is welcome on any issue important to you. Please email me back or contact me by phone or in person at your convenience.
SCDOT Weekly Update: The Department of Transportation started a weekly update in August to inform the public about what is going on at the agency as to its financial situation and other matters. To see the latest, go here.
Aiken County Public Library: Check out the digital branch library available through the Aiken County Public Library website (www.abbe-lib.org). This service, powered by Over Drive, is free to Aiken Library patrons with a valid library card and password. You can browse the collection for audio books, eBooks and videos. You can also download the titles to PC, Mac, iPod, Sony Reader, Kindle and many other mobile devices to enjoy immediately. Some audio titles can even be burned to CD to listen to on-the-go. At the end of the lending period, the titles automatically expire. NOTE: To get started, patrons need to download free Over Drive Media Console® and Adobe Digital Editions® software, which are available on the digital branch library’s website. For more information, call the Library at 642-2020.
Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have invited me to attend one of their meetings to provide a legislative update. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting, please let me know.
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.lswia.org.
Report Waste, Fraud and Abuse in State Government: To report waste, fraud and abuse in state government, you can call: 1-855-SC-FRAUD.
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 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. If you set a tour between January and June and it is on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, please let me know so I can do my best to see you.
Email Updates: If you know of people in or around District 81 who do not receive my updates but they would like to get them, 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
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