IT’S ALL ABOUT POWER (A LOT OF IT) AND ACCOUNTABILITY (NONE OF IT) Last week, we posted a brief analysis of S.535, legislation that would create a murky new…
A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE Obamacare by Another Means While the governor and Speaker of the House are promoting what they call an “alternative” to Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid,…
WHY KEEP TRYING TO ‘COMPETE’ ON OUR COMPETITORS’ TERMS? For generations, South Carolina lawmakers of both parties have shown an unwavering commitment to the idea that special tax incentives encourage…
JUST BECAUSE STATES CAN’T PRINT THEIR OWN MONEY DOESN’T MEAN THEY CAN’T ACCUMULATE DEBT … LOTS OF DEBT In a recent study by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), South…
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE Many government officials in South Carolina, particularly elected officials, take pride in frequently announcing that South Carolina is one of the most business…
ANSWER: BECAUSE SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CORRUPTION There is probably no more boring word in the English language than procurement. And yet, if you pay taxes, it should be…
TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING POORER. GOVERNMENT ISN’T. Lately a number of commentators have tried to make the case that South Carolina is already a lean model of low taxes and limited…
SINCE WHEN DOES ‘RESERVE’ MEAN ‘SLUSH’? As has become a yearly tradition, legislators have voted to raid the Capital Reserve Fund to funnel money to their own pet projects. The…
STEP NO. 1: ELIMINATE THE HALF THAT ALMOST NOBODY CAN READ Each fiscal year, the South Carolina state budget is split into two major pieces: Part 1A and Part 1B.…
. . . AND HOW NOT TO FUND IT State lawmakers have introduced a new plan to increase funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT) without raising revenues or fees.…
. . . A LOT THAT YOU’LL NEVER KNOW ABOUT. HERE’S WHY. Over the last two years, the Policy Council has repeatedly stressed the importance of a law that…
An “Enterprise Division” for Clemson?
IT’S ALL ABOUT POWER (A LOT OF IT) AND ACCOUNTABILITY (NONE OF IT) Last week, we posted a brief analysis of S.535, legislation that would create a murky new…
The Health Care Debate in South Carolina
A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE Obamacare by Another Means While the governor and Speaker of the House are promoting what they call an “alternative” to Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid,…
Wanted: A New Approach to Economic Development
WHY KEEP TRYING TO ‘COMPETE’ ON OUR COMPETITORS’ TERMS? For generations, South Carolina lawmakers of both parties have shown an unwavering commitment to the idea that special tax incentives encourage…
S.C.’s “Debt Limit” Not So Limited
JUST BECAUSE STATES CAN’T PRINT THEIR OWN MONEY DOESN’T MEAN THEY CAN’T ACCUMULATE DEBT … LOTS OF DEBT In a recent study by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), South…
Is South Carolina “Business Friendly” ?
THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE Many government officials in South Carolina, particularly elected officials, take pride in frequently announcing that South Carolina is one of the most business…
Why Is Procurement Such a Big Deal?
ANSWER: BECAUSE SOMEBODY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CORRUPTION There is probably no more boring word in the English language than procurement. And yet, if you pay taxes, it should be…
Is State Government Shrinking – or Growing?
TAXPAYERS ARE GETTING POORER. GOVERNMENT ISN’T. Lately a number of commentators have tried to make the case that South Carolina is already a lean model of low taxes and limited…
Capital “Reserve” Fund?
SINCE WHEN DOES ‘RESERVE’ MEAN ‘SLUSH’? As has become a yearly tradition, legislators have voted to raid the Capital Reserve Fund to funnel money to their own pet projects. The…
Budget Transparency: How to Get There
STEP NO. 1: ELIMINATE THE HALF THAT ALMOST NOBODY CAN READ Each fiscal year, the South Carolina state budget is split into two major pieces: Part 1A and Part 1B.…
How to Fund Road Maintenance
. . . AND HOW NOT TO FUND IT State lawmakers have introduced a new plan to increase funding for the Department of Transportation (DOT) without raising revenues or fees.…
What’s in the S.C. State Budget?
. . . A LOT THAT YOU’LL NEVER KNOW ABOUT. HERE’S WHY. Over the last two years, the Policy Council has repeatedly stressed the importance of a law that…