BRIDGE OUT. Debris from the Great Flood of 2015 put such pressure on the U.S. Highway 176 bridge over Cannon’s Creek in Newberry County that floodwaters washed it away. Officials are scrambling to replace the bridge, built near Pomaria in 1949, but that may take six months. As senior editor Bill Davis outlines in this news story, legislators are under increasing pressure to find major fixes for deficient bridges and roads which needed up to $40 billion of work before the flood. More than 250 roads and bridges remain closed in the state because of historic rains. Photo by Matt Silveston, Charleston.
IN THIS ISSUE
NEWS: Legislature under pressure on road funding
COMMENTARY: Fix education funding and stop caterwauling about deadlines
SPOTLIGHT: Riley Institute at Furman University
MY TURN, Pamela Lackey: Citizenship in the brave, new — digital– world
FEEDBACK: Our children deserve better
SCORECARD: Up for Haley, middle for Spurrier
NUMBER: $10 million
S.C. ENCYCLOPEDIA: Edisto Island, S.C.
NEWS
A fork in the road
Legislature under pressure on road funding
By Bill Davis, senior editor
OCT. 15, 2015 | Devastation and death in South Carolina wrought by Hurricane Joaquin could push state legislators to tackle the state’s growing $40 billion transportation infrastructure needs when it reconvenes in January, politicians say.
Joaquin’s wrath closed hundreds of roads and bridges across the state, ended 17 lives and wiped out $300 million in crops. A total estimate for the damage is forthcoming, but Gov. Nikki Haley has called the damages “significant and widespread.”
Since the storm that dumped 11 trillion gallons of rain on the Carolinas, President Barack Obama has signed a declaration that South Carolina was the site of a “major disaster,” which cleared the way for federal money to be spent here to supplement state efforts. As of Thursday, the disaster declaration makes people and businesses in 19 counties from the Midlands to the coast eligible for physical and economic federal assistance. Businesses and organizations in 17 other counties are eligible for federal economic injury loans.
With Joaquin, Haley accepted federal help, a reversal of her political logic for the last two years of declining federal aid to expand Medicaid to help 200,000 of the state’s poorest get access to health care.
Joaquin exacerbated a transportation infrastructure disaster brewing for quite a while in South Carolina. Eight years ago after a bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed in Minnesota, Palmetto State legislators began whispering, wondering if that could happen here.
The answer has turned out to be, yes, South Carolina. There is a Mother Nature.
So where are we now?
But over the last few years, state government has done comparatively little to address the road and bridge infrastructure needs.
Federal officials have estimated the state needed to spend $40 billion over 25 years — about $1.5 billion every year — to bring roads and bridges to good levels. Included in an expansive report was the revelation that more than 8,400 bridges in the state, with 830 of the more than 8,400 bridges in the state were “structurally deficient,” and 10 were closed for structural problems. Two thirds were deemed “satisfactory,” with 19 percent ”substandard” and 9 percent “functionally obsolete.”
Three years ago with this news, the legislature “dug deep” and came up with an additional $50-million in one-time funding to be able to borrow $500 million for roads. Now, most agree that the $40 billion transportation deficit has grown significantly since Joaquin sent floods of water across the state.
So now that people have seen buckling roads and rain that caused more than two dozen dams to breach comes a sobering question: Which does South Carolina hate more — death or raising taxes?
“Something will happen”
State Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter (D-Orangeburg) said the General Assembly has “no choice but to do something.”
“Something will happen, but the question is what and how much,” said Cobb-Hunter, who serves on the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee. She worries that the fear of raising taxes on the other side of the political aisle could preclude significant action.
A Statehouse Report QuickPoll last week showed that 90 percent of readers who responded wanted the state’s 16.8-cent-per-gallon gas tax to be raised to fund road upgrades. A September Winthrop Poll showed 84 percent of respondents believed repairing existing roads should be the state’s top priority in transportation spending.
House Speaker Jay Lucas (R-Hartsville), who Wednesday asked a House committee to start the process of better understanding the flood recovery process, last week pointed out that the House passed an infrastructure bill this year to the Senate where it withered. “Every day that passes without a plan drives up the repair costs, places our citizens’ safety at risk, and threatens the future of our economy,” he said in a statement.
State Sen. Paul Campbell (R-Goose Creek), who serves on the Transportation Committee, said the Senate modified the House bill and it is already sitting atop the coming agenda in that chamber on special order.
“When you look at our neighbors whose motor fuel user fees are $0.28 per gallon in Georgia and $0.37 in North Carolina and have been for several years, you can understand why their roads are significantly better,” Campbell said. “ If the General Assembly had indexed our fee in 1987 (last time for an increase), we would be at $0.34 per gallon.” Currently, South Carolina’s gas tax is $0.168 per gallon .
Campbell added that several counties in his neck of the state have already crafted special one-cent sales taxes to support local roads.
State Sen. Larry Martin (R-Pickens), one of that chamber’s most experienced members and the chair of the Judiciary committee, said he believes the General Assembly will come together in a bipartisan fashion to “get this important job done.”
Skinning that cat
But how that “important” job gets done could doom it. Some are like state Sen. Tom Davis (R-Bluffton), who has said he would “push back hard against anyone who says ‘only higher gas taxes will fix our roads.’”
Haley called for an increase in the state gas tax earlier this year, but only if there were an offsetting cut in income taxes so the overall budget wouldn’t increase. Some say that position may have been dealt a deathblow by the extent of Joaquin’s wrath.
“The real questions is will the governor insist on a $2 billion tax cut to allow $400 million for roads, even though [South Carolina] has one of the lowest tax rates in the country,” said state Sen. Ray Cleary, a Georgetown Republican who announced last week he wasn’t running for re-election.
“Or will a majority of legislators vote for an $800 million tax cut hoping to avoid a [gubernatorial] veto and giving SC DOT [Department of Transportation] $800 million – much less that it needed before the disaster – and ignore our reducing funding by over $350 million per year to higher education — causing our state to have the highest tuition rates of any southeastern state.”
Cleary said he believed if politicians cleared away most wasteful spending and were honest with constituents and if the state still needed more money for roads, voters would support them.
But where those extra dollars come from is also a problem. Yes, South Carolina has one of the lowest per-gallon gas levies in the country. But, thanks to rising fuel efficiencies and other factors, state documents show a rise in the gas tax would only be a short-term solution as revenues would decrease over time
One immediate solution is for the state to continue to try to borrow its way out of the problem. But there’s only so much borrowing capacity that the state has. And most realize slow times will come again, which will cut borrowing capacity even more at a time when transportation needs won’t decrease. Another solution: Increasing user fees and fines, but voters have already begun grumbling about getting bit in the wallet everywhere they turn.
In the words of one old sarcastic Columbia sage, in the face of Joaquin, “governance does happen.” But the unknown and unknowable question is: how much and when will it happen – especially in an election year?
Bill Davis is senior editor of Statehouse Report. Have a comment? feedback@statehousereport.com
COMMENTARYFix education funding and stop caterwauling about deadlines
By Andy Brack, editor and publisher
OCT. 16, 2015 | You might not get much in your morning newspaper if reporters didn’t turn in stories by a certain time. Deadlines keep reporters — and columnists — on task. If there were not a specific time limit to submit a story for publication, the story might never get written. There’s always somebody else you can call or interview.
Like newspapers, courts set deadlines frequently. Time limits provide some certainty in the often long, convoluted judicial process and move cases along toward conclusions. In some cases, like the redrawing of political districts required by law, there’s only a limited time for new lines to be drawn. When reapportionment cases end up in court, as they seem to do in South Carolina, judges frequently set deadlines so a plan can be developed and resolved. Then elections, a foundation of our democracy, can proceed as required by law. Without deadlines imposed by courts, there’s no telling how long it would take to even up the size of House, Senate and congressional districts.
So now come South Carolina legislative leaders, squawking about deadlines imposed by the S.C. Supreme Court. In November, it ruled the legislature and poor school districts had to come up with a solution to fund schools on a more equal basis.
On one hand, this caterwauling is somewhat justified because the case, Abbeville County School District v. State of South Carolina, was first filed by poorer school districts in 1993 in an attempt to get more equitable funding for “Corridor of Shame” schools. It took the court system 21 years to deal with the case. In recent years, the case sat virtually untouched at that same Supreme Court with no movement until intrepid reporters started writing, wondering what the heck was going on.
Bottom line: The Court didn’t move at lightning speed to ensure justice for poor school districts. Two generations of kids started and graduated from schools that were just about as lacking in 1993 as they were in November 2014 when the court finally put the state on notice that it had failed in its educational duties to poorer school districts.
It is, therefore, understandable that legislative leaders are a little miffed the high court is pushing hard now for a resolution — ruling that a plan for remediation and proposed legislation to fix the funding problem has to be in by Feb. 1, 2016 — just two days before the General Assembly is expected to vote on a new chief justice to replace retiring Jean Toal, who has been on the court since before the Abbeville case was filed.
Legislators now say the court’s push for a resolution to the case is paramount to creating a constitutional crisis — that the court is overstepping its constitutional authority by seeking to legislate from the bench.
Hogwash. First, courts have a responsibility to ensure that something found wrong — what lawyers call a “constitutional defect” — gets fixed so injustice does not continue. Second, legislators have long known the Abbeville case was going to be something that would cost big in the end. Instead of fixing school funding as the case lagged in the courts, the legislature mostly ignored it and kept on with business as usual, which we know generally means doing as little as possible before the next election.
What’s worrisome now is the General Assembly may try to use a different kind of crisis — the flood that exposed billions of dollars of transportation infrastructure needs — as an excuse to do nothing much to fix education funding. In short, that would be wrong. Indeed, it would be unconscionable.
This legislature should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. If members can’t, they need to get out of the way so we can elect people who can.
Don’t let fair education funding get snowballed by other needs. Stop complaining about deadlines and work with the court to move things along responsibly. South Carolina’s poor children have waited long enough.
Andy Brack is editor and publisher of Statehouse Report. Send feedback to: feedback@statehousereport.com.
IN THE SPOTLIGHTRiley Institute at Furman University
The public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring Statehouse Report to you at no cost. This week’s spotlighted underwriter is The Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics, and Public Leadership, a multi-faceted, non-partisan institute affiliated with the Department of Political Science at Furman University. Named for former Governor of South Carolina and United States Secretary of Education, Richard Riley, the Institute is unique in the United States in the emphasis it places on engaging students in the various arenas of politics, public policy, and public leadership.
- Learn more about the Riley Institute.
- Also learn more about the Riley Institute’s Center for Education Policy and Leadership.
Citizenship in the brave new – digital – world
By Pamela Lackey
OCT. 16, 2015 | Regardless of where we consider “home,” we are all citizens of a digital world. Advances in communication and computer technology have revolutionized nearly every aspect of life, from how we work and play to how we stay in touch with others.
Some people seem to be completely at home in an online, interconnected community. For example, Beloit University’s “The Mindset List” notes that members of the Class of 2015 have never known a world without the Internet.
Other folks, however, seem slightly perplexed by where they find themselves. For them, “friend” is a noun, not a verb, and “shopping” requires going to a store.
At AT&T, we believe in doing our part to help everyone succeed and prosper in this technology-defined community. That’s why we have committed to a series of initiatives that are all about digital citizenship – navigating challenges in this online world safely while embracing new opportunities.
Just as living in a particular place requires certain practical information, such as traffic laws or the location of a nearby grocery story, digital citizenship requires a basic understanding of the devices and technology which create and power the digital world.
As part of our Digital You program, we offer information specifically designed for digital newcomers. In addition to practical, how-to-use guidance on basic cell phones, smartphone and tablets, it also addresses mobile broadband, identifying and avoiding e-mail scams and being safe online.
Digital You also brings you Digital Compass™, a free interactive game developed by Common Sense to help teach 6th through 9th graders about the real-world impact of their online choices.
Online safety, especially for youth, is a major issue today. The Internet lets us travel the world without leaving home. While that is great for teens doing research for school or playing online games with friends, it creates situations their parents never had to address. For example, one in four kids say they have been bullied online. So we are providing some common-sense tips for handling online bullies and trolls.
Since every keyboard has a delete key, it is easy to forget how permanent the online world is. Even if a photo is deleted, the comments and images can live on. So we are helping teens understand that what may seem like a funny comment today may look tomorrow like questionable judgment to a university admissions officer or potential employer.
Businesses, too, face online risks, suffering nearly 43 million known security incidents in 2014. This increased 48 percent compared with 2013 and equals some 117,000 attacks daily. To better equip other businesses to secure their own data we recently shared our own insights and research in our first Cybersecurity Insights Report.
Another aspect of citizenship is taking responsibility for how our actions impact others and our community. In the digital world, that means we need to use our devices wisely and safely.
For five years, the It Can Wait campaign has conveyed a single message: Keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone. Over that time, our campaign has evolved as smartphone driving distractions have grown beyond texting to include social media, web surfing, selfies and video chatting.
The latest research of smartphone users has found that of those who use their devices while driving, more than 60 percent text, about 30 percent email or surf the web, and an astonishing 10 percent Facetime. For those unfamiliar with the practice, to “Facetime,” individuals use their smartphones to create an interactive videoconference. I am astonished that people do this behind the wheel.
The simple fact remains that no post, glance, email, search or text is worth a life.
Today’s technology offers unprecedented opportunities for inclusion, removing the barriers of distance and, often, language. The Digital You program therefore also delves into accessibility resources for users with disabilities and includes a wide assortment of resources in Spanish.
I realize that change can be unsettling – don’t move my coffeepot on my kitchen counter. But I am excited to think about the innovations which are even now being developed, thanks to today’s advanced technologies.
Pamela Lackey is president, AT&T-South Carolina.
FEEDBACKOur children deserve better than legislators giving them
To the editor:
I just wanted to thank you for your article in today’s Morning News in Florence [Brack: Stop shortchanging South Carolina]. You have certainly pointed out effectively the problems in South Carolina politics.
I’ve been an educator for more than 40 years and have just retired. Throughout my tenure, I have watched South Carolina politics ruin children’s lives. No matter how hard teachers try, without more money in the poorer schools, teachers and students are severely handicapped. It is so sad that we have lost so many years of equitable funding because the judge ruled that “minimally adequate” was good enough. We have a lower class of South Carolinians who will forever be a burden on our system because they have not been properly educated.
My heart has been broken many times watching our children strive to do better and get better when, deep down, I know there is no job for their broken skills.
I just want to thank you so much for pointing out the shortfalls of our legislature. I pray daily that the blinders will fall off the eyes of South Carolinians and they will become aware of our educational problems. If we don’t educate these children, we will forever be taking care of them in the welfare rolls, or even worse, prisons.
Our children in South Carolina deserve so much more.
— Dianne Hill Anderson, Timmonsville, S.C.
Transportation funding: Reduce salaries, topless beaches
To the editor:
Rather than raising gas taxes to help our roads and bridges, decrease the salaries of those making more than $60,000 a year. When those of us who were making less than $45,000 a year were forced to retire, it’s a tough decision whether to buy meds or food living on S.C. retirement plus Social Security.
Another recommendation to add revenue to our coffers: duplicate the model of South Florida [top-]free beaches in North Miami, possibly at Edisto.
— Cheri Alexander, Hopkins S.C.
Send us a letter. We love hearing from our readers and encourage you to share your opinions. Letters to the editor are published weekly. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. We generally publish all comments about South Carolina politics or policy issues, unless they are libelous or unnecessarily inflammatory. One submission is allowed per month. Submission of a comment grants permission to us to reprint. Comments are limited to 250 words or less. Please include your name and contact information.
- Send your letters to: feedback@statehousereport.com
From Haley to Spurrier, more
Thumbs up
Haley. Thanks to Gov. Nikki Haley for extending a disaster declaration for the state so that National Guard troops can continue to help communities clean up from the floods that ravaged the state.
In the middle
Spurrier. We wish USC football coach Steve Spurrier had decided to not take himself out of the action by “sorta” firing himself and retiring in mid-season. But that’s his decision and we respect it. He still has a winning legacy. And in a state that often doesn’t seem to win much, he brought a lot of people a lot of joy with three consecutive 11-win seasons.
Thumbs down
Goldfinch. Let’s hope voters in the Georgetown area don’t fall for electing GOP state Rep. Stephen Goldfinch, who has faced an ethics cloud in recent years, to replace Sen. Ray Cleary, a Georgetown Republican who said he won’t run for re-election. Goldfinch announced this week he’ll run for Cleary’s seat.
NUMBERS
$10 million
That how much state officials think South Carolina lost daily in tourism dollars from disruption from the Great Flood of 2015. The state has since launched an “Our Coast is Clear” advertising campaign to reassure tourists that they should visit the Palmetto State. More.
S.C. ENCYCLOPEDIAEdisto Island
S.C. Encyclopedia | Located between the mouths of the North and South Edisto Rivers south of Charleston, Edisto Island is a Lowcountry Sea Island of approximately sixty-eight square miles. The island is shielded from the Atlantic Ocean by Edisto Beach, a barrier island municipality contained in Colleton County and linked to Edisto Island by a causeway.
Edisto Island derives its name from the Edisto Indians, the island’s initial inhabitants (an Indian mound built by the Edistos survives at Edisto Beach State Park). In the mid-1500s Spanish settlers arrived on the island they called “Oristo” and established a Jesuit mission. Englishman Robert Sandford explored Edisto in 1666, and a decade later the “Edistow” deeded the island to the Lords Proprietors. The Spanish raided an English settlement on Edisto in 1686, but Anglo settlers and their African slaves remained and increased in the ensuing decades. Edisto Presbyterian Church was organized in 1710 and Trinity Episcopal Church in 1774.
The salinity of the island’s wetlands inhibited rice production, but indigo production flourished in the mid–eighteenth century. From the late eighteenth century until the early twentieth century, Edisto Island was a center of Sea Island cotton production, until the boll weevil devastated the crop in the early 1920s. Edisto farmers thereafter produced cabbage, potatoes, cattle, and tomatoes. In 1920 the Dawhoo Bridge connected the isolated island to the mainland. The bridge subsequently was replaced by a high, fixed-span bridge.
– Excerpted from the entry by Ford Walpole. To read more about this or 2,000 other entries about South Carolina, check out The South Carolina Encyclopedia by USC Press. (Information used by permission.)
CREDITSEditor and Publisher: Andy Brack
Senior Editor: Bill Davis
Contributing Photographers: Michael Kaynard, Linda W. Brown
Phone: 843.670.3996
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Excerpts from The South Carolina Encyclopedia are published with permission and copyrighted 2006 by the Humanities Council SC. Excerpts were edited by Walter Edgar and published by the University of South Carolina Press. Statehouse Report has partnered with USC Press to provide readers with this interesting weekly historical excerpt about the state. Republication is not allowed. For additional information about Statehouse Report, including information on underwriting, go to https://www.statehousereport.com/.
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