WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | (1-13-2004) How should SC legislators make up the projected $350 million budget shortfall?

(1-13-2004) How should SC legislators make up the projected $350 million budget shortfall?

• mD, Columbia:
  Reading these additional posting has prompted me to comment again.  CP in Anderson had a very good point... video poker taxation is a VOLUNTARY tax.  Just like cigs and booze taxation.  As seen in the past, people of SC must love paying these voluntary taxes.  GB from Columbia strums the familure tune of "poor me, if it wern't so easy to spend my paycheck on these things I would be better off".  You know what, I sorta agree, however, only responsible adults are making decisions whether playing the lotto or video poker is damaging their famalies welfare.  I've been around a long time and I see the people buying cigs/booze and playing the video/lotto, I imagine they need to keep that $5 in there pocket and go buy some milk and bread for their deprived children.  That said, I still think it's an adult's decision to reap the benefits you sow.
• LP, Lexington:
  Many things could be done to remedy this deplorable situation. I, for one, agree with bringing back video poker. While I never played it, did anyone notice that this shortfall came right on the heels of video poker's exit?  Definitely raise taxes on cigarettes!  If the tobacco farmers don't like it, then let them learn to raise a more useful product which might be used for food.  With all the hungry people in the world, shouldn't be a hard or bad thing to do.  This brings me to the next thing which I know will be VERY unpopular, but I think makes much sense if looked at on a logical, rather than knee-jerk emotional, level. This should apply to Federal as well as State government.  Quit rewarding people (singles, couples, married, unmarried, rich, and poor) for spewing out babies by giving big tax credits based on the number of babies they spew out.  We are breeding ourselves into oblivion!!!  I can think of no reason (other than the occurance of triplets, etc) why any couple needs to bring more than two children into this increasingly overcrowded world we live in.  If they must do so, then let them pay for the overcrowded schools, roadways, and other facilities which they so thoughtlessly contribute to the problem of!  Two children per couple is approximately zero population growth.   A formula(s) could be developed for dealing with complicated matters such as unmarried couples, divorces, and such. If either partner contributes to the production of more than two children, then they would pay accelerated taxes to help fund the overcrowding they help cause.  If they have two of fewer children, then they would get a tax "break" similar to the ones enjoyed by the reproductively irrisponsible, now.  At the point where they had three or more, they would pay higher taxes on ALL children that they produced.  This would make infinitely more sense than the current system we now have but is not likely to ever happen as the politicians who could make it happen lack the backbone to do it and risk losing precious votes.
• RP, Columbia:
  Lets see now,  the state is facing huge budget deficits, crime is at an all time high, schools are not educating our children, our prisons are overcrowded and the legislature is debating wether or not to leagalize minibottles and tattoos. South Carolina you elected these loosers so shut up and live with it,, or,,,vote the scum back out of office.
• RR, Swansea:
  They should start by cracking down on the fraud in the state that is costing the tax payers millions, if not billions of dollars, then they should cut their spending habits for things and time that mean nothing to a state that has no monies. Focus on the more important issues and stop with the pork.
• jg, columbia:
  Too many legislators refuse to consider ANY sensible way to raise revenue for the state; they would rather see essential services cut and front-line state employees laid off. Here's a thought: for this session, every member of the General Assembly should work FOR FREE. No salary, no per diem, nothing. Force them to slash their personal budgets, so they will know what it feels like. Gov. Sanford could use the same lesson.
• CP, Anderson:
  Bring back video poker... it is a voluntary tax, duh!
• GB, Columbia:
  In reading many of the responses to the question of how to make up the short fall in the budget have been comments about bringing back video poker.  This not the answer.  Not only is this addictive and harmful to not just the players but their families there is a lot of irregularities in the ability to verify this system for taxation.  The only people that where making out on video poker where the operators.  If there was a fools proof way to verify every machine and tax it accodingly it is still not a good alternative source of income.  Consolidating state functions can be done in some areas.  Legislatures need to take a close look at their salaries and benefits and curtail their raises when other state employees don't get a raise.
• GP, Cayce:
  There is still alot of waste in the state government primararily in the areas where they were allowed to cut back as they saw fit.  None of the middle management was laid off; raises are still continuing in some areas while some areas get none; travel is still being permitted to meetings outside the state and COUNTRY; cell phones being provided to "middle management" with free minutes attached to it. They no longer have to pay for their own cell phones period.  The 1st area to be cut back was services. Excuse me but I always thought the public was why we have a job! The jobs were kept at DOT but yet roads are untouched. The jobs were kept at DHEC but inspections are not as frequent.  The jobs were lost at DSS and DO Correction plus the services, however, who lost their jobs? Essentially the ones who are needed the most.. (ie security guards, family assistance etc).  Education?  That is a joke in itself.  They went through all of these years without major hits; teachers are getting bonuses for being certified (even elementary school extra curricular teachers); money from lottery; and yet they still want more money at the cost of monies to other state agencies such as DHEC where environmental is still considered an essential needed item as well as health. After all what good is education if the environment and health is allowed to lag behind?  Then on top of that the taxes on property and personal property includes your local school district which is continuosly asking for more money..The counties are taking without asking money that they say is to be used for "Tourism Projects"..Yeah right.  I only know it cost more to eat out with my family after not having a raise in 3 years and my insurance going up. I do not know of many people that would come to Lexington/Columbia for sightseeing regardless of what you do.. They pass THRU going to Myrtle Beach.  The government must be overhauled and the Legislators need to begin to listen to the voters.
• JG, Columbia:
  The state has about 5 billion to spend. It should be a "bottom up" approach. Eliminate whatever is not neccessary-enough cross board cuts are done.
• PJ, Columbia:
  Cut the state legislature operating budget by half until they come up with a balanced budget.
• WW, Columbia:
  Start privitizing many of the services in the state.  School Cafeterias, Prisoner Health Care, School bus drivers, Prison Guards, We have too many kinds of police,,State Troopers, Transportation Police, Protective Services, County Sheriff, City Police and SLED all except city police could be consolidated and probably operate much more efficiently. We have magistrates, assistant magistrates, part time magistrates, city county and state magistrates it really gets confusing must be expensive to maintain.  The same applies to the many various courts.
• TH, Irmo:
  Bring back video poker. We didn't seem to have such a problem with the budget when we had money coming in!
• MD, Columbia:
  I have several suggestions that would immediately generate momumental amounts of inbound tax dollars, but they all are painful...even for me.
  1. Increase cigarette and alcohol taxes.
  2. Reinstate video poker and tax it to the max.
  3.Eliminate the whole Department Of Transportation and motivate the prisoners to work for a change. (I would be ashamed to work there).
  4. Eliminate the Dept. Of Social Services. (another shameful place to work).
  5. Eliminate the many school districts and consolidate as one body where every teacher is doing the same thing.  It's a pure joke when a child transfers from one district to another.
  6. Eliminate Big Corp. tax breaks that are being used to attract business. You and I end up paying those taxes for years to come. I wish the legislators would read our comments and DO SOMETHING POSITIVE!!!
• MM, Jefferson:
  Follow the Governors budget to a tee and throw out all of the politics. Everyone knows there is waste and it needs to be stopped. We in the state voted for Governor Sanford to bring spending under control and the republican led Senate and House should follow suite. If the budget is not approved we have people saying they are republicans but are really not, or trying to do there own thing.
• CB, Camden:
  Raise cigs--taxes and prices, tax liquor if u can,reduce DSS awards to ppl producing multiple babies---I am tired of supporting other ppl's children. Let the churches go back to tending to the poor like long ago.  Close the DOT and let the prisoners clean and repair roads. Give them a skill they can use when they are released.  Why are state jobs the first to be cut/reduced???  Do we not need fire and police protection?? Decent teachers??  The ones cutting the above will be the loudest cries heard in a crisis!
• jm, lexington:
  Quit! If you won't do that, outlaw lobbyists, hiring of relatives and friends, big corporate tax breaks to attract or expand businesses that cost us more in taxes than they will ever repay in new jobs or economic growth, and stupid law suits like the hopeless case to keep the Citadel all male, and the current fight against equal distribution of money for education.  We, the voters should fix this ourselves at the end of this year by voting all these self-serving do-nothings out.
• RN, Columbia:
  Tell the legislators they are fired. So the state can use the money that they spend to come to town for raises for state employees. I am sure with out the legislators things would run a lot smoother
• BJ, Orangeburg:
  Without a doubt put video poker back on the ballet,raise the sales tax by 2 percent otherwise shut down state government. And also be prepared to clean out their desk at the state house because if they lay off any more state employees they will most likley be voted out of office this year. My brother works for state govenment and he has had to take a second job just pay his bills, now if he gets laid off I say let welfare take care of him and his family, that is the message the Legislators have been sending everyone. I just saw on WIS last night another prison guard was arrested for bringing dope into prison, you know why he does not make any money. Wait till we have a hurricane or a snow storm then you as citizens will see how the budget cuts may cost you your lives, due to no government employees like police and other government services. Also they dont want you to know that the local county court systems like Mccormick are having to be taken over by the federal government due to no funding from  roopers because their numbers are so low that all they are doing is working wrecks in the big counties.
• DB, Blythewood:
  The Legislators and Senators need to take a pay cut.
• JP, Sumtger:
  Fire the legislators and close the state house.  Let the public vote on all proposed new laws, they could do it faster and cheaper than the legislature. Terminate **ALL** social programs.  Bring back video poker and tax the hell out of it.  Fire all DOT employees and use prisoners for road work.  Eliminate all public school programs except academic classes like math, science, english, history and civics. If a student wants to play tennis or basketball or any other sport they pay for all costs.
• BS, West Columbia:
  One way would be to reinstate the video poker machines.  When all those machines were removed that's the day the state budget started downhill.  All that money that was coming in from those machines suddenly stopped.  I really don't see any difference in video poker and the lottery.  The lottery is just another form of gambling like bingo is.  You spend money in hopes of winning big.  Another way might be to increase taxes on cigarettes.  There are many smokers out there and if that don't make them cut down on their smoking then the state stands to make quite a few bucks.  Hopefully a tax increase on cigarettes might deter teens from smoking and therefore saving lives.
• FD, Irmo:
  They could start by laying off everyone at the DOT!  No one is doing anything about the horrible shape our roads are in! All they do is ride arround in their DOT vehicles and sleep along the side of the road.  Potholes need repair, roads need repaired.  It is getting dangerous.  They claim they have no money.  The state could save the money of the wages paid to the DOT because they are doing absoulutely nothing to fix our roads!  I have e-mailed the Governor and asked that he ride in my neighborhood to see the condition of these roads.  He of course declined my offer. I voted for Mr. Sanford last election but he will not get my vote the next time!
• JP, Columbia"
  1. Raise the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack.
  2. Sell half of all state owned vehicles.
  3. Close DSS
  4. Force prisoners to work for their keep or bill their family.
  5.  Colsolidate the 80+ school districts under one state office under the governor, administered by a panel appointed by the governor, endorsed by the legislature.
• DT, West Columbia:
  It will be made up by a combination of spending cuts and tax increases, of course.   As for the cuts, I agree with Governor Sanford’s premise that government must return to its core functions.  Thus I support his proposal to cut funding for such programs as the state museum and the non-farm services offered through Clemson University.  As for taxes, I support an increase in the sales tax as well as an increase in cigarette taxes, with revenue from the sales tax increase going to programs which benefit the public generally while revenue from a cigarette tax increase goes to pay for the additional health care smokers eventually require. What I do not support – but fully expect – is that neither the cuts nor the tax increases will be enacted to a sufficient degree to actually solve the budget problem this year.  It is an election year after all.
• AP, Lugoff:
  By addressing their overblown benefits and eliminating this extreme excess. I, as a state worker with no pay increase, and no prospects of one in the future think they should be ashamed of themselves. Also, a tax increase on tobacco is long overdue.