Update –September 23 to October 5, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

State Pension Fund: In 2007, Warren Buffett wrote about public pension managers’ projections of eight percent returns as follows: “If they’re wrong, as I believe they are, the chickens won’t come home to roost until long after they retire. Public pension funding is woefully inadequate. Because the fuse on this time bomb is long, politicians flinch from inflicting pain, given that problems will only become apparent long after these officials have departed. Promises involving generous cost of living adjustments are easy for these officials to make – those promises will be anything but easy to keep.” How prophetic. Now three years later, like many other states, South Carolina is facing shortfalls in the liabilities for the state’s pension fund. Some estimates have placed the long term unfunded liabilities at approximately $20 Billion. This is a real problem that must be addressed sooner rather than later. I am working with other legislators on a plan to address the problems in South Carolina. Although I do not know for sure, what I suspect may happen not just in South Carolina but in other states as well, is that already retired workers may continue to receive benefits that they expected but inflation adjustments may not be provided as often as liked. Existing workers may see some reduction in their promised benefits. New state employees may end up with a 401(k) like many others in the private sector. Further, the number of years necessary for state retirement may go back up from 28 to 30 years. I will write more about this in the coming months as we work on a solution. The Pew Center on the States prepared a comprehensive report on this issue as to all 50 states which can be accessed by clicking here.

Biggest Disappointments of 2010 Legislative Session: Since July 13, I have presented an end of session legislative wrap up to civic and neighborhood groups and community town meetings around District 81. In those presentations, I noted the following as the biggest disappointments for the 2010 Session:
• Still No Dedicated Source of Funding for Roads and Bridges – SC has 4th Most Road Miles to Maintain with 4th least amount of money — did not pass either body
• Tort Law Amendments Including Seat Belt Use Admissibility and Punitive Damage Changes – Failed in Senate
• Roll Call Voting Requirement – Failed in Senate
• Distracted Driving bill – Failed in Senate
• Voter ID Bill – Failed in Senate
• Drop Out – No Drive until 18 – Failed in Senate
• Legislation to stop creation of more Megadumps – Failed in House subcommittee
• Mandatory jail time for criminal solicitation of minor – Failed in Senate
• Establishing a Dept. of Administration – Failed in Senate
• Establishing a Sunset Commission – Failed in Senate
• Joint Election of Governor and Lt. Governor – did not pass either body
• Gubernatorial Appointment of Secretary of State – Failed in Senate
• Long Term Care Income Tax Credit Act – did not come out of House Committee

For the legislation that did not pass the Senate, it should be noted that our local Senators Greg Ryberg and Shane Massey did not block these reforms from passing the Senate. I expect all of these bills to come back up in the 2011 session and a renewed effort to make them law in our state.

State Constitutional Amendments on Election Ballot on Election Day: On November 2, four constitutional amendments will be considered by all of those voting in South Carolina. For a look at what those amendments are, please click here.

SC Department of Transportation: Recently, the SC DOT sent a condensed update on the state of its operations to members of the General Assembly. That report states that the DOT continues to maintain the fourth largest highway system in the nation comprised of 41,460 center line miles and 8,357 bridges. The DOT’s primary funding source is the 16 cents per gallon motor fuel user fee which was last adjusted in 1987. Further, South Carolina continues to be a donor state on motor user fuel fees paid to the federal government meaning that our state receives back less than our residents pay to the federal government each year. To see a copy of the update, please click here.

Conservation Voters Scorecard: The Conservation Voters of South Carolina recently released their 2010 legislative scorecard. I was given a score of 100% meaning that I supported all of the positions that the Conservation Voters considered important to its agenda this past session.

Planning for the 2011 Legislative Session: The 2011 legislative session will convene on the second Tuesday in January. 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; immigration; economic development; job growth; and the underfund 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.

Passing of Ed Hammons: Ed Hammons, Marine Corps Veteran and long time advocate for veterans in Aiken County and District 81, passed away this past Friday. Mr. Hammons will be remembered for his many efforts on behalf of veterans and his work to establish the Memorial Day Parade in Aiken.
Congratulations to Dr. Joe Spencer: District 81 resident Dr. Joe Spencer recently received the “2010 Lay Person of the Year” award by the S.C. Recreation Parks Association. Dr. Spencer was recognized for his leadership as a volunteer both locally and statewide.

Frequency of My Updates: Since the legislature is not in session, my updates will not come every Monday as they do during session. I will strive to provide an update each week. However, there may be some weeks where I combine two weeks of updates into one. The frequency will be back to every week when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know. Recently, I spoke to the Aiken Sertoma Club.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past nine months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.

Update –September 8 to September 22, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

End of Session Legislative Report Prepared by House Republican Caucus: The House Republican Caucus recently prepared an end of session report which can be accessed by clicking here. This report is different in some ways from the end of session update that I provide at my town hall meetings and while speaking to groups around the district. You may notice that a number of bills did not make it out of the Senate: That is not because of a lack of effort to support many of those bills by our local Aiken County Senators Greg Ryberg and Shane Massey. If you have questions or comments about anything in the Republican Caucus report, please contact me.

Education – Generational Poverty and Lack of Parental Involvement: In the past few updates, I have provided alarming statistics on reading. Many of the problems that we face in our state and nation stem from the problems arising out of (1) generational poverty and (2) lack of parental involvement with their children while in K-12. I am interested in your thoughts on how best to confront these age-old problems. If you have some, please contact me.

Passing of Representative Bill Wylie: On Saturday, September 11, Rep. Bill Wylie ( R) from Greenville passed away suddenly at the age of 70. Bill and I entered the House together as Freshmen last year in January 2009. We worked together on a number of bills to improve the state and the legislative process. In fact, Bill was a cosponsor of the high school dropout bill and worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that this bill got out of the Education Committee and passed the House to get to the Senate this past session. In recent months, Bill and I had discussed a plan for the upcoming 2011 session to address the problems with the state’s retirement system and pension fund. Bill’s leadership, energy, and wisdom will be missed by many.

Planning for the 2011 Legislative Session: The 2011 legislative session will convene on the second Tuesday in January. 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; immigration; economic development; job growth; and the underfund 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.

Grass Cutting in the SCDOT Right of Way: Since my last report, many of the areas of high grass have been addressed by the SCDOT. Nevertheless, if you are aware of an area where high grass is obstructing vision for drivers as they enter or exit certain roads in our County, please call the SCDOT at 641-7665 or let me know and I will pass on the information.

Congratulations to Nick Kiraly: District 81 resident Nick Kiraly was recently informed that he is being inducted into the National Air Commando Hall of Fame in October. Mr. Kiraly is recognized for his significant contributions to worldwide special operations over a long period of time while stationed in multiple locations around the world.

Thoroughbred Country – South Carolina Regional Tourism Organization: If you are interested in learning more about tourism attractions, services, and programs in the four county region of Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell, visit www.tbredcountry.org.

Frequency of My Updates: Since the legislature is not in session, my updates will not come every Monday as they do during session. I will strive to provide an update each week. However, there may be some weeks where I combine two weeks of updates into one. The frequency will be back to every week when the legislature reconvenes in January.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know. Recently, I spoke to the Aiken Estates Neighborhood Association and both Rotary Clubs in Aiken.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past eight and a half months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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)

Tom Young talks state budget, government restructuring, taxes

With a $5 billion general fund budget that is $2 billion less than it was two years ago, the S.C. General Assembly could face another $980 million shortfall in 2011, S.C. Rep. Tom Young said Thursday.

“We need to prioritize spending,” he told Aiken Sunrise Rotary members. “There’s a zero-based budgeting requirement for the 2011 preparation of the budget. We need to do that to get a handling on spending.”

One problem, Young said, is that the budget is so dependent on sales tax revenue that has decreased in recent years. South Carolina needs comprehensive tax reform, he said, and a state commission is scheduled to make recommendations for reform later this year.

For some reason, Young said, that commission was instructed not to consider changes to Act 388, a property tax reform measure that in part substituted sales tax revenue for property taxes on owner-occupied homes for school operations. An effort to amend another provision, one that would limit market value increases when a home is sold, didn’t make it through the legislature.

Young expressed hope the S.C. Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC) will go ahead and look at Act 388 on its own initiative.

Many S.C. residents, he said, may not realize that the total state budget is around $20 billion. About $8 billion comes from the federal government, much of it going directly to state agencies where the legislature has little input, Young said. There is also a third fund of $7 million that comes from fines and fees.

“We have to take a serious look at how the ‘other fund’ money is spent, whether it’s a carryover for state agencies,” Young said. “We also have more than $2.7 billion in state sales and user tax exemptions. Some of those exemptions date back to 1951, and we need to see how many of them actually make sense.”

Another key issue that will return in 2010 is government restructuring. The S.C. Constitution, written in 1895, gave the most authority to the state legislature. The intent, said Young, was to curtail the power of the governor; white lawmakers then feared an African-American might be elected at a time when the state had a higher minority population.

The governor’s role is further diminished by the Budget and Control Board, a five-member committee that includes the governor, who is often outvoted on policy and financial decisions, Young said. The General Assembly needs to act to take the issue of reform to the voters, he said.

Young filed individual bills last year that would end the election of six constitutional officers, including the superintendent of education, and put them within the cabinet of the governor. However, only the bill for the secretary of state got out of the House and went nowhere in the Senate.

As the next legislative session approaches, Young expressed concern that some important bills were approved in the House, only to be thwarted in the Senate.

“We have some problems in the Senate,” he said. “But the two senators from our area who represent most of Aiken – Shane Massey and Greg Ryberg – are not holding up legislation. People in other parts of the state are affecting some of these bills. We need to change the rule of allowing one senator to hold up a bill.”

By Rob Novit, “The Aiken Standard”

Update – August 18 to August 25, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Alarming Statistics on Reading – Part II: Last week, I shared the below statistics in this legislative update:

· Only 36% of low-income parents read daily to their children.

· The size of a 48 month old child’s vocabulary predicts his 11th grade reading ability.

· 6 readiness skills are needed for 1st grade reading mastery.

· 70% of 3rd graders who read below grade level never catch up.

· Approximately 70% of high school dropouts have reading proficiency problems.

· 60% of low income families have no children’s books in their homes.

After sharing the above last week, I received lots of requests from folks about what they can do to help. Local volunteers can do a lot to assist with addressing these issues and some of the causes of the issues in our community. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer at a local Aiken County public school, please click here for more information. I will post other ways to help locally in future updates. Reading and enabling our young people to get an education are the keys both to their future success and to our state’s future progress.

South Carolina Final Accounting Report for 2009-2010 Fiscal Year: Last Friday, Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom released his final accounting for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2010. As to the State’s General Fund budget, actual revenues were $310.1 million less than the revenue projections used to generate the 2010 General Fund budget. Despite the shortfall, a balanced General Fund budget was reached through cutting agency budgets 9.04% and applying funds from the Capital Reserve Fund. Estimates for state revenues through the end of 2010 predict a 2.5% further decline in overall state revenues for all of the current fiscal year. The report notes the importance of having adequate reserve funds including recent legislation that would increase the rainy day fund from 3% to 5% of General Fund revenues. (Voters will decide whether to approve this constitutional change in November on election day.) The report also mentions the problems associated with the underfunded liabilities in the state’s retirement system for state employees. (I am working with other House members on a plan to address this problem.) To access the full report, click here.

SC Department of Commerce: Recently, I received information from the SC Dept. of Commerce as to the success of the Department’s efforts in attracting new industry and investment to our state. Some of the data which I received was enlightening particularly the following:

· South Carolina ranks number 6 among the top ten states for Labor Force Growth between 2002-2009;

· South Carolina ranks number 9 among the top ten fastest growing states between 2002-2009;

· South Carolina has ranked in the top ten among states for the past five years for net migration of college-educated individuals.

For a complete list of this data, click here.

Bear Baying: In the past couple of days, a lot of local and national media attention has focused on this practice which apparently is not prohibited in South Carolina by state law. I am confident that state law will change during the 2011 legislative session to specifically prohibit this practice.

Thoroughbred Country – South Carolina Regional Tourism Organization: If you are interested in learning more about tourism attractions, services, and programs in the four county region of Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell, visit www.tbredcountry.org.

Planning for the 2011 Legislative Session: The 2011 legislative session will convene on the second Tuesday in January. 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; immigration; economic development; job growth; and the underfund 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.

Free Small Business Workshop: The Aiken Small Business Development Center is offering a FREE tax workshop for prospective and new small business owners. The workshop will be held from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, in the Palmetto Room of the Student Activity Center Building at USC Aiken. The Small Business Tax Workshop contains general information about different types of business organizations, record keeping requirements and business tax returns. This workshop is one of the taxpayer education programs sponsored by the Aiken Small Business Development Center, the IRS, South Carolina Enrolled Agents and the SC Department of Revenue. It is directed toward the small businessperson who is starting a business or has recently started a small business in the service, retail or manufacturing area. The morning session will cover federal tax requirements for small businesses and the afternoon session will cover state tax and employment security obligations. A packet of very helpful publications is given to each participant. Registration is necessary by Monday, September 6, 2010. To register for the workshop or for more information, please contact the Small Business Development Center via e-mail: SBDC@usca.edu or by telephone: 803-641-3646.

My “Other” Job: Now that the legislature is out of session, many of you have asked what I do when I am not attending session in Columbia. I have an active full time law practice in Aiken at the Law Offices of Tom Young, Jr., PC located at 409 Park Avenue SW in downtown Aiken. I can be reached at work at 649-0000 or by email at tyoung@tomyounglaw.com.

Aiken Senior Extravaganza 2010: The City of Aiken will have its annual Aiken Senior Extravaganza again on Wednesday, September 15 at the H. Odell Weeks Center from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The event offers seniors, and those interested in issues facing seniors, an opportunity to spend a day in educational seminars and to browse the display fair. The educational seminars will be limited to the first 300 people to register including a t-shirt and catered lunch with Keynote speaker. The Health Fair and displays will be open to the public and pre-registration is not required. Age: 50 and over: Cost: FREE : Wednesday, September 16, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For more information, please call 642-7631. A copy of the brochure can be obtained by clicking here.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know. Recently, I spoke to the Lions Club and Kiwanis Club. I am scheduled to speak with both local Aiken Rotary Clubs and other groups in the coming month.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past seven months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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,

Representative Tom Young

Update – August 10 to August 17, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Best Wishes for the New School Year: Thousands of students and teachers across our district started school this week. While most schools may have been closed the past couple of months, our teachers have been working toward this week where they will greet their students with the same passion, dedication, and concern which they always bring to the profession. I suspect most everyone reading this column can think of the teachers who made a difference in their lives somewhere along the way. The statistics in the next post below should demonstrate why good, caring teachers and an emphasis on the basics are critical to the future of our state and our nation.

Alarming Statistics on Reading: I am firmly convinced that reading is the key to success in the classroom for many of the children in our schools. Recently, I read the following statistics on Reading from some information shared at our Rotary Club:

· Only 36% of low-income parents read daily to their children.

· The size of a 48 month old child’s vocabulary predicts his 11th grade reading ability.

· 6 readiness skills are needed for 1st grade reading mastery.

· 70% of 3rd graders who read below grade level never catch up.

· Approximately 70% of high school dropouts have reading proficiency problems.

· 60% of low income families have no children’s books in their homes.

I will provide more information in a future update on what local volunteers can do to assist with addressing these issues in our community.

Aiken County School District Expenses: At my July 13, 2010 town meeting, I shared the latest breakdown on expenses in the Aiken County School District. The chart can be reviewed by clicking here.

Great News for USC Aiken: The University of South Carolina Aiken is ranked first among the top public regional colleges in the South in the year 2011 edition of U.S. News & World Report’s guide, “America’s Best Colleges.” This is the 13th consecutive year USC Aiken has been ranked in the top three public regional colleges in the South category by U.S. News & World Report. USC Aiken has been ranked first seven times: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Aiken County Legislative Delegation Meeting: The Aiken County Legislative Delegation met this past Monday, August 16 at 5:00 p.m. at the Aiken County Council Chambers. The delegation heard from citizens as to the Aiken County School Board; public education; the South Carolina State Museum; Point of Sale Legislation; and other constituent concerns.

My “Other” Job: Now that the legislature is out of session, many of you have asked what I do when I am not attending session in Columbia. I have an active full time law practice in Aiken at the Law Offices of Tom Young, Jr., PC located at 409 Park Avenue SW in downtown Aiken. I can be reached at work at 649-0000 or by email at tyoung@tomyounglaw.com.

Planning for the 2011 Legislative Session: The 2011 legislative session will convene on the second Tuesday in January. 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; immigration; economic development; job growth; and the underfund 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.

Free Small Business Workshop: The Aiken Small Business Development Center is offering a FREE tax workshop for prospective and new small business owners. The workshop will be held from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, in the Palmetto Room of the Student Activity Center Building at USC Aiken. The Small Business Tax Workshop contains general information about different types of business organizations, record keeping requirements and business tax returns. This workshop is one of the taxpayer education programs sponsored by the Aiken Small Business Development Center, the IRS, South Carolina Enrolled Agents and the SC Department of Revenue. It is directed toward the small businessperson who is starting a business or has recently started a small business in the service, retail or manufacturing area. The morning session will cover federal tax requirements for small businesses and the afternoon session will cover state tax and employment security obligations. A packet of very helpful publications is given to each participant. Registration is necessary by Monday, September 6, 2010. To register for the workshop or for more information, please contact the Small Business Development Center via e-mail: SBDC@usca.edu or by telephone: 803-641-3646.

Aiken County Republican Party Event: Senator Jim DeMint and Rep. Jeff Duncan, the Republican nominee for South Carolina’s Third Congressional District, will attend a political rally and live auction this Saturday from 10:00 AM to Noon at the Odell Weeks Center in Aiken on Whiskey Road. An auction of several items will take place with proceeds to benefit the Aiken County Republican Party. The public is invited.

Aiken Senior Extravaganza 2010: The City of Aiken will have its annual Aiken Senior Extravaganza again on Wednesday, September 15 at the H. Odell Weeks Center from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The event offers seniors, and those interested in issues facing seniors, an opportunity to spend a day in educational seminars and to browse the display fair. The educational seminars will be limited to the first 300 people to register including a t-shirt and catered lunch with Keynote speaker. The Health Fair and displays will be open to the public and pre-registration is not required. Age: 50 and over: Cost: FREE : Wednesday, September 16, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For more information, please call 642-7631. A copy of the brochure can be obtained by clicking here.

Traveling Art Exhibit at Aiken Center for the Arts: The South Carolina State Museum and the South Carolina Watermedia Society have partnered to present the Traveling Watermedia Exhibition which is in Aiken at the Center for the Arts until August 28. The exhibition includes 30 paintings by 30 artists from around the state. Admission is free.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past seven months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.

Update – July 26 to August 8, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update for the past two weeks helpful and informative:

Planning for the 2011 Legislative Session: The 2011 legislative session will convene on the second Tuesday in January. 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; immigration; economic development; job growth; and the underfunded liabilities in our state’s retirement systems. Your input is welcome on any issue important to you. Please email me back in response to this or future updates or contact me by phone or in person at your convenience.

States and Budget Shortfalls: We have all heard a lot about South Carolina’s budget shortfalls during the past two legislative sessions. South Carolina is not alone. In recent weeks, I read that 46 states are anticipating budget shortfalls for 2011. Only Arkansas, Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota are not at this time. States are cutting spending including state payrolls; school aid; and health care. Many are also raising taxes with 17 raising sales taxes; 13 raising income taxes; and 22 raising excise taxes. Combined state budget shortfalls are expected to be $180 Billion in 2011. I am researching to find out what Arkansas, Alaska, Montana, and North Dakota have done to remain in the black. As for South Carolina, we need to implement zero based budgeting principles in the budgeting process as to all functions, programs, and overhead of agencies. We also need to scrutinize the state budget as to how general fund, federal funds, and other funds monies are allocated, spent, and, in some cases, carried over from one fiscal year to the next.

Latest Test Results from S.C. Elementary and Middle School Students: I read an article this past week about the latest test results of South Carolina’s elementary and middle school students. Students showed improvement in reading and writing but either held steady or declined slightly in math, science, and social studies. Particularly relevant is that wide achievement gaps exist between African-American and white students in all subjects. Further, younger students (third graders) are more likely to meet standards than are older students (eighth graders). Finally, the students who are strong readers in the third grade are more likely to achieve academic success later in school. In my view, this finding again emphasizes that reading is the key to success, and it is critical that children be able to read at grade level before advancing to the next grade. To access the full article, please click here.

Prayer Rally in Aiken: I attended Monday evening’s prayer rally in the Alley before the City Council meeting. There were hundreds of people gathered to show their support of prayer at the beginning of Aiken City Council meetings. The SC House begins each day of session with a prayer. I see no reason why our City Council should not and I support beginning the meetings with prayer.

Avondale Water System Improvements Update: Work continues on the former Avondale Water System. About 50% of the lines are in the ground for phase one for the water lines. About 25% of the lines are in the ground for the sewer side of the project. Everything is on schedule to date according to the project managers.

Aiken County Legislative Delegation Meeting: The Aiken County Legislative Delegation will meet on Monday, August 16 at 5:00 p.m. at the Aiken County Council Chambers. There are two people on the agenda currently to make presentations to the Delegation. The public is invited.

Public Education Partners: Public Education Partners of Aiken County recently saw the retirement of its Executive Director Diane Mangiante after 15 years of service. Diane will be missed and her contributions over the past 15 years are much appreciated by many in our community.

Aiken Senior Extravaganza 2010: The City of Aiken will have its annual Aiken Senior Extravaganza again on Wednesday, September 15 at the H. Odell Weeks Center from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. The event offers seniors, and those interested in issues facing seniors, an opportunity to spend a day in educational seminars and to browse the display fair. The educational seminars will be limited to the first 300 people to register including a t-shirt and catered lunch with Keynote speaker. The Health Fair and displays will be open to the public and pre-registration is not required. Age: 50 and over: Cost: FREE : Wednesday, September 16, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. For more information, please call 642-7631.

Traveling Art Exhibit at Aiken Center for the Arts: The South Carolina State Museum and the South Carolina Watermedia Society have partnered to present the Traveling Watermedia Exhibition which is in Aiken at the Center for the Arts from August 5 – 28. The exhibition includes 30 paintings by 30 artists from around the state. Admission is free.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past seven months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.

Update – July 19 to July 25, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC) Update – Sales Tax: The biggest news of this week as to our state government is that the TRAC Commission submitted a draft of its sales tax report which proposes a variety of changes that would have an impact on South Carolina residents and business-owners. The report recommends that the State do the following:

1. Lower the state wide sales tax from 6% to 4.96%.

2. Repeal the sales tax exemptions for prosthetics; hearing aids; cars with dealer tags; self-propelled light construction equipment; fire truck equipment; tangible personal property sold to the federal government; feed for poultry and livestock; containers for preparing agriculture, dairy, grove, garden, turpentine and gun resin for sale; newspapers; wrapping paper, twine, bags and containers for sale and delivery of personal property; railroad cars, locomotives and monorail cars; vessels and barges more than 50 tons burden; farm, grove, vineyard and garden products that are sold by the producer; equipment and electricity sold to TV and radio stations; plants and animals sold to public zoos and gardens; gas and electricity used in the production of poultry, livestock, swine and milk; concessions sales at festivals; materials for commercial housing of poultry and livestock; extended warranties on vehicles; sweet grass baskets; and equipment operated by hydrogen fuel cells. These items would be subject to the new 4.96% statewide sales tax.

3. Implement a new 2.5% sales tax on groceries, electricity, prosthetics, and prescription drugs.

4. Eliminate the exemption for vacation time share plans and the general one percent sales tax exemption for people 85 and older is.

As to the current recommendations from last week , click here for a section by section summary, and click here for the full report.

Further Work by the TRAC Commission: The TRAC Commission is also considering recommending the following:

1. Charging the state’s sales tax on services, including massages and facials at day spas and hair care at salons;

2. Cutting back on the scope of goods subject to the tax free “back to school” weekend;

3. Eliminating the tax free weekend for guns and hunting supplies;

4. Changing the state’s gas tax.

Not the Final TRAC Report: This is NOT the final report of the Commission. They are considering other taxes in the state beyond the state sales tax. They will continue to receive input and will not take a final vote until their September meeting.

My Initial Observations on the TRAC Sales Tax Report: I am sure that this initial report and its recommendations will not please everyone as we all know that it is impossible to please everyone all the time. My understanding is that the TRAC Commission members say that South Carolina must update its tax system to create the broadest tax base possible with the lowest tax rate possible. To do this, the State must diversify its tax structure and spread the burden along as wide a base as possible. This is NOT the final report of the Commission. They will continue to receive input and will not take a final vote until their September meeting. As for me, I am studying the report and its recommendations. I also am studying the materials that the TRAC Commission considered which you can also review by clicking here. Any recommendations of the TRAC Commission ultimately have to be approved by the General Assembly and the Governor during the normal legislative process of next year’s session. The General Assembly and Governor can accept all, some, or none of the recommendations. If you want me to know your thoughts over the coming months on these issues, please let me know.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to attend one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know.

Responding to Constituent Email: I am behind in responding to a large volume of constituent email which I received in the last part of June.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past six months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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

Update – July 12 to July 18, 2010

The House of Representatives has adjourned for the 2010 session. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Town Meeting: I held a town meeting on Tuesday, July 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Odell Weeks Center in Aiken. Over sixty people attended and we had a good discussion about what did and did not pass this past session at the State House.

S.C. Lottery: At the town meeting on Tuesday night, someone asked how the lottery money is appropriated. I have attached a chart showing the breakdown of appropriations since the lottery began in 2002: click here to view chart!

Top States for Business: CNBC released its 2010 annual rankings of the 50 states as to which are the best for business. South Carolina moved up from 37 in 2009 to 31 in 2010. While we made some improvement, our neighboring states North Carolina and Georgia are ranked number 4 and 10 respectively. The following article explains the rankings and the criteria used in coming to the rankings: click here to view article!

Interesting Information on Teen Drivers: A constituent passed on to me information about graduated driver licensing programs and a Johns Hopkins School of Public Health study showing that such programs have reduced the rate of fatal crashes among 16 year old drivers by anywhere from 11 to 20 percent. The following link compares the 50 states and their respective requirements as to teen drivers: click here to view the comparison.

Congratulations to Aiken 12 Year Old All Stars!: Congratulations to the Aiken 12 Year Old All Stars who won the South Carolina state tournament in baseball this past week and will head to Ocala, Florida to represent our state in the regional finals beginning on July 29. They are planning to do well in the regional finals and if they do, they will be there for about a week. The costs of traveling to and from Ocala and staying a week for the tournament are expensive and the City can only provide so much assistance. If you would like to contribute to help the team with their expenses, please make your check payable to: 12 Year Old All Stars c/o Aiken Elite and mail it to: 109 Sassafrass Rd.; Aiken, SC 29803.

Responding to Constituent Email: I am catching up on a large volume of constituent email that I received during the last two weeks of June.

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 31. 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 or simply click here.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to come to one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know. During the past week, I spoke to the Kiwanis Club and a meeting of graduates from the National Academy of Police Officers.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past six months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.

Update – June 28 to July 4, 2010

The House of Representatives met on Tuesday of this past week for the last time during this legislative year. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Happy Independence Day: I hope that you and your family enjoyed the July 4th holiday and reflected on how blessed that we are to live in the United States of America.

House Met For Last Time Last Tuesday: The House returned to Columbia last Tuesday to address any outstanding gubernatorial vetoes. The House addressed three of Governor Sanford’s vetoes sustaining one and overriding two. The veto which was sustained related to a bill that had been amended in the Senate to allow certain nonresidents of the state to get a special lifetime hunting license. The Senate amendment had placed a strange combination of property ownership and birth place requirements for the nonresident lifetime hunting license which suggested that the amendment was intended to benefit certain folks rather than a class of people in or outside of the state. The veto was easily sustained by nearly a unanimous House. The veto that received the most debate was the Governor’s veto of legislation that will require those convicted of certain violent crimes to have an indicator placed on the back of their South Carolina driver’s licenses and state identification cards. The bill provides that if the person is not convicted of an additional violent offense within 5 years of completing his sentence or while on probation or parole, in the discretion of the judge, then the indicator could be removed. The indicator cannot be used as grounds to search or detain a person but is utilized only as an officer safety procedure. The intent is to alert police officers to former violent crime offenders in a roadside stop quicker than the time it takes for the officer to go back to the patrol vehicle and enter the driver’s license information and criminal history. The law enforcement community in the state strongly favored this bill as an additional way to protect law enforcement officers in the line of duty. I voted to override the Governor’s veto on this bill.

Town Meeting: I have scheduled a town meeting for Tuesday, July 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Odell Weeks Center in Aiken on Whiskey Road. I will provide an end of session legislative update at that time. The public is invited.

Voter Identification Bill: The Senate did not take action on the Voter ID legislation last week and the compromise bill has died on the Senate calendar. The process will have to start anew next session in 2011. To recap, the House approved Voter ID 3 times in 15 months. Three weeks ago, the House passed the House-Senate Conference Committee version of the bill which provided that the photo identification requirement will start in the 2012 elections. Also, the Conference Committee version provided an eight day period for early voting from Saturday to Saturday prior to an election day, and it allowed absentee voting under certain circumstances during the 30 days prior to an election. After the House passed the Conference Committee version and sent it back to the Senate, some senators filibustered the bill and held it up. Despite having 27 Republicans in the Senate and needing only 24 votes to break a filibuster, the Senate did not take a vote on the Conference Committee report and the bill died for the year when the Senate adjourned last week. I voted to approve voter ID all 3 times when it came up in the House.

“FMAP” Money Update: As you may recall from my column two weeks ago, the last veto that the House considered close to 1:00 am on Thursday, June 17 was the veto of the entire section of the budget where the General Assembly appropriated the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) money before it has been received by the State from the Federal Government. The total in this section is $214 Million. I voted to sustain the veto of this section and the veto was sustained by the full House. Here is why I voted to sustain. The money being “appropriated” is not in South Carolina — it is money that the budget writers are HOPING we will get from the federal government. On June 4 and again on June 16, Congress voted NOT to send that money to the states including South Carolina. Last week, I read an article that stated that South Carolina was in the minority of states that did not approve its budget with the money in it. However, 28 states did approve their respective budgets with this money in it even though the money may not be provided by Congress. If the money does not come, then those states will face a substantial shortfall by “appropriating” dollars that do not come. If you would like to see the article and chart of which states were in the minority with South Carolina and the 28 states that may have a budget shortfall because they “appropriated” dollars that they do not yet have, then click here.

Good News on Yucca Mountain: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission legal panel ruled last week that the U.S. Energy Department cannot withdraw its licensing application for Nevada’s Yucca Mountain to be a permanent nuclear waste repository. In a 47-page order, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ruled Energy Secretary Steven Chu does not have the authority to pull the plug on a process that Congress started when it passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act in 1982. As you may recall back in February of this year, state and county leaders met several times to consider ways for the State and Aiken County to combat the recent Obama Administration decision to close Yucca Mountain as the permanent site for the nation’s spent nuclear waste. The Obama Administration’s decision came despite nearly thirty years of public investment and research in the Yucca Mountain project and was made without congressional input or approval. Local and state leaders here believed that the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 required that Congress affirmatively approve the change that the Obama Administration proposed as to Yucca Mountain. The County and the State took legal action to prevent any federal government action to stop the Yucca Mountain program without congressional approval. Last week’s decision is great news for Aiken County and South Carolina as many people work to ensure that high level spent nuclear waste currently stored at SRS does not remain there permanently.

“Fair Tax” Education Seminar: On Saturday, July 10 from 10:00 am to noon, there will be a Fair Tax workshop in Aiken at USC Aiken in the Business and Education Building, Room 122. The seminar is designed to educate about the Fair Tax concept. The seminar is open to the public but the organizers need to know if you plan to attend so they can have an idea of the number. Please RSVP to Pat Dickerson at: PatD@alumni.wfu.edu or call him at 404-731-3688 to let him know if you are coming. If you are unfamiliar with the USC Aiken campus, the Business and Education Building is in the rear of the campus adjacent to Parking Lot C.

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 31. 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 or simply click here.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to come to one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past five months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.

Update – June 21 to June 27, 2010

The House of Representatives did not meet this past week. I hope that you find this update helpful and informative:

Session Tomorrow: The House and Senate return to Columbia tomorrow for session to address any outstanding gubernatorial vetoes. The House addressed all of Governor Sanford’s budget vetoes two weeks ago. The Senate still has some budget vetoes left to consider tomorrow.

Town Meeting Date Change: My town meeting scheduled for June 29 from 6:30 to 8:00 at Odell Weeks is CANCELLED. The meeting is RESET for Tuesday, July 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please note the change.

Voter Identification Bill: As I wrote last week, this bill’s fate will be determined when the House and the Senate return tomorrow. Two weeks ago, the House passed the final version of this bill which requires voter identification to vote. The photo identification requirement will start in the 2012 elections. Also, it has an eight day period for early voting. This eight day period is from Saturday to Saturday prior to an election day. Finally, the bill still allows absentee voting under certain circumstances during the 30 days prior to an election. After the House sent its final version back to the Senate, some senators in the State Senate filibustered the bill and held it up. The bill’s fate will be determined when the House and Senate return tomorrow.

Economic Development Bill Becomes Law: Last week, Governor Sanford signed the Economic Development Competitiveness Bill. He hailed it as accomplishing meaningful reforms to help our State’s economy. Some of the main points of the bill include the following:

* Reforming the Endowed Chairs program to help shift its focus to job creation and allow private sector investment to lead public sector investment;
* Removing many of the special jobs tax credits that have been legislated over the years, making the state’s credits based purely on economic criteria;
* Providing relief to manufacturing property taxpayers, who currently pay the highest rate in the nation;
* Broadening and modernizing the outdated Economic Impact Zone provisions, enacted in 1995 in response to federal base closures;
* And requiring greater transparency in the reporting process for utility tax credits.

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 31. 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 or simply click here.

Speaking to Groups Around the District: Several local groups have asked me to come to one of their meetings to provide an end of session report to their members. If you have a group that would like for me to come to a meeting during the next few months, please let me know.

Email Updates: Many people in District 81 are receiving this email update. However, there are many others who do not receive them because I do not know their email addresses. If you know of people 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, you can 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. In the past five months, I have received many different reports of problems and I have relayed those to the appropriate agencies.

Thank you for the opportunity 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.