spend too much or taxed too little?

It all boils down to answering a simple question. Do you believe the Government spends too much or do you believe the people are not taxed enough? With the new certified money last week, this year’s budget is beyond $7 & ½ billion and the new money is close to $ 1 ½ billion. Since virtually all of your money is spent, now they want to raise the cigarette tax. Last week the Finance Committee approved a 45 cent per pack increase in the cigarette tax.

Being a pharmacist, I witness daily the health problems caused by smoking. Smoking costs the taxpayers millions of dollars a year and I feel that this extra cost is unfair the non-smoking taxpayer. For this reason I would support the 45 cent increase IF matched with tax relief elsewhere. Currently, the bill is a net tax increase.

I must stand with my conviction, however, of not supporting a tax increase, especially with all the dollars in the kitty. Without matching tax reductions, the cigarette tax will not get my support.

1978 vote republican 2

In 1978 Sen. Glenn McConnell was chairman of the Charleston County Republican Party. This is the 2nd of 5 tv commercials produced.

Campsens Surf in Mid-Atlantic Championships

The Campsen brothers (George, 9th grade, and Boyce, 6th grade) have qualified to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Surfing Championship in Nags Head, North Carolina, on May 18-20. The Eastern Surfing Association invited George and Boyce to participate in the championship on the basis of their performance in local, state and regional competitions last year. Top surfers from Delaware to Georgia, and Puerto Rico, will vie for coveted invitations to the East Coast Surfing Championship and USA Surfing Championship, to be held later this fall.

George and Boyce will surf in both shortboard and longboard divisions for their age groups. George has also qualified to compete for the overall Mid-Atlantic Championship crown against all-comers in the Open Shortboard division. George and Boyce’s father, Chip Campsen, will surf as well in the shortboard division for his age group.

Last year Boyce advanced through the Mid-Atlantic Championship to the East Coast Championship at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. He finished in the top 15 for his age group in shortboard competition, with surf conditions generated by Tropical Storm Helene exceeding 10’.

Ultrasound bill passes Senate

H. 3355 passed the Senate on Thursday, May 17. My original bill required the review of the ultrasound, which in my opinion, did not force the review. After several wrangling over language, the bill was amended with new language. click here to see the full text
the Senate version:
-requires physician to describe the ultrasound procedure and inform the patient she has the right to view it
-at her request, the patient is allowed to view the ultrasound images
-if the ultrasound is chosen, the physician is required to give her a medical description of the images which must include the dimensions of the child and presence of external members and internal organs
-the patient must be given a list of healthcare providers that offer free ultrasounds (mostly crisis care centers)

Wednesday, 5/16 House vs. Senate Softball

Senate 22 House 5

dot bill passes Senate

A compromize was reached today on the DOT reform bill:
Executive Director
-appointed by the Governor with advice & consent of the Senate
-Serves at-will to the Governor
Department of Transportation Board
-7 (congressional & 1 at large)
-Elected by congressional district legislative delegation on proportional voting
-hires chief highway engineer & internal auditor
-all members must be from different counties
-creates STIP (state transportation improvement plan) with public input
-4 year staggered terms
Joint Transportation Review Committee
-Screen Board appointees - must state either qualified or unqualified within 30 days
-Annual review of activities of the Board and the Department
-Review Methodology of STIP
Chief Highway Engineer
-hired by the Department of Transportation Board
-may be removed for cause
-must sign off on expenditures $10 million or less

Debate prediction: Bannister & Pitts make call!

Before the debate last night, I was in a conversation with Rep. Ted Pitts (R-Lexington ) and Rep. Bruce Bannister (R-Greenville) My question was this: Who will have the best one-liner tonight? Both agreed that it would be Gov. Mike Huckabee. He said something like “Congress has spent more money than John Edwards in a beauty parlor”

judicial candidate lies to my face

As you probably know, there are 3 vacancies in the courts of South Carolina with 8 candidates. I'm disappointed to make it known that one particular candidate told me several untruths in a conversation. Why would a candidate find the need to be dishonest about his/her record? Why would a judicial candidate be dumb enough to tell untruths that can be easily verified? Or does this person think we are too dumb to check the records. It is sad that elections of this magnitude have found such desperation. Like Ronald Reagan always said “trust but verify”!

last inning, tied up, 2 outs, 2 strikes,

Ethan, our 7 year old, was up to bat in the last inning of the ballgame (they don't go into extra innings in his league). There were 2 outs, he had 2 strikes with the winning run on 3rd. Ethan pokes a single through the infield to allow the winning run score. Good job E! Go Tigers!

Congratulations Judge William Steele

This week Summary Court Judge William Steele was awarded Anderson County Employee of the month. Also, his son Gregory, just returned from a mission trip from China delivering Bibles. Anderson County is fortunate to have citizens like Judge Steele's family!