Category Archives: Budget

Bill Could Give Arts Commission Secure Source of Funding

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Kevin Dietrich

The head of the S.C. Arts Commission is taking a cautious approach regarding a recently introduced bill that could give his agency a steady source of revenue. Ken May, executive director of the commission, said one of the key components … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, General Assembly, Legislation, State Agencies, Transparency | Tagged Gov. Nikki Haley, Rep. James Smith, S.C. Arts Commission | 4 Comments

No End in Sight for Court Fees

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Rick Brundrett

If users of the state’s court system are hoping to see lower court fees any time soon, they likely won’t find an ally in S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal. During a hearing last week before a Senate Judiciary … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, Judiciary, Legislation, Other Funds | Tagged S.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Jean Toal, Sen. Creighton Coleman, Sen. Gerald Malloy, Sen. Larry Martin, Sen. Tom Davis | 1 Comment

The Search for a Joint Open Session on the Budget

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Kevin Dietrich

State law requires that House and Senate appropriation committees meet in joint open session to consider the governor’s proposed budget within five days of it being released. On Jan. 23, the fifth and final day such sessions could be held, … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Budget, General Assembly, Legislation, Transparency | Tagged General Assembly, State Budget | 3 Comments

Provisos: Legislators’ Earmarks – and Why They Love Them

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Eric K. Ward

Lots of politicians rail against federal earmarks in Congress, but the S.C. General Assembly has its own version of earmarks and many of them represent the very same kind of special-interest, pork-barrel spending. The Legislature’s version of these little gems … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Budget, General Assembly, Transparency | Tagged Rep. Jim Merrill, Rep. Murrell Smith, Rep. Tracy Edge, S.C. Department of Health and Human Services, S.C. Ethics Commission, S.C. General Assembly, Sen. Tom Davis | 3 Comments

Secret Budget Process Continues in S.C. General Assembly

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Rick Brundrett

If you’re a policy wonk or had a really bad case of insomnia and read Gov. Nikki Haley’s 379-page proposed executive budget for next fiscal year, you might have noticed something odd on pages 298 and 299. Unlike dozens of other state … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Budget, General Assembly, Transparency | Tagged Gov. Nikki Haley, House Clerk Charles Reid, Les Boles, Office of State Budget, Rep. Jim Merrill, Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett | 2 Comments

Legislature Flouts Law Requiring Joint Public Hearings on Budget

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Eric K. Ward

It looks like the S.C. General Assembly’s two appropriations committees once again are flouting a provision of state law requiring the panels to hold joint public hearings on the state budget. Under Title 11, Chapter 11 of the S.C. Code … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, General Assembly | Tagged Gov. Nikki Haley, Rep. Brian White, Rep. Dan Cooper, Rob Godfrey, S.C. General Assembly, Sen. Hugh Leatherman, Sen. John Land, Sen. Kevin Bryant, Sen. Larry Martin | 4 Comments

Signs Point to Legislature Ignoring Law on Budget

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Eric K. Ward

South Carolina law requires the governor to submit a recommended state budget to the General Assembly within five days of the legislative session starting, and Gov. Nikki Haley says she will do so. But will the Legislature also follow the … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget, General Assembly | Tagged Gov. Nikki Haley, Rep. Brian White, S.C. General Assembly, Sen. Hugh Leatherman | 3 Comments

S.C. State Gets an ‘Incomplete’ on Budget Request

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Kevin Dietrich

Details may not be South Carolina State University’s strong suit, at least when it comes to budgetary matters. The school, already under scrutiny for alleged financial mismanagement related to millions of dollars earmarked for the James E. Clyburn University Transportation … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Budget, Higher Education, Transparency | Tagged College of Charleston, Lander University, Office of State Budget, South Carolina State University, The Citadel, Winthrop University | 2 Comments

Sheheen: BCB Shouldn’t Approve Budget Deficits

Posted on December 26, 2011 by Kevin Dietrich

Sen. Vince Sheheen, D-Kershaw, says removing the Budget and Control Board’s ability to approve a state agency’s ability to run a deficit is a good idea. The power doesn’t belong with the Budget and Control Board, they haven’t exercised it … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Budget, Budget and Control Board, General Assembly, State Agencies, Transparency | Tagged Sen. Vincent Sheheen, State Senate | 1 Comment

Accounting Change Adds More Truth, Transparency to Budget

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Eric K. Ward

The S.C. Board of Economic Advisors has made a change – quietly, and evidently with no other media attention to it – that adds more truth and transparency to the state budgeting process. Yes, you read that correctly – more … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget | Tagged Burnie Maybank, Chad Walldorf, Richard Eckstrom, S.C. Board of Economic Advisors, S.C. Department of Revenue, S.C. General Assembly | 3 Comments