Young Adam Beam is doing a very conscientious job covering the House as it runs through the governor’s vetoes. Here are some of his key Tweets thus far (sorry that this looks junky; I haven’t had time to clean it up):
Voting now on Arts Commission. Overwhelming to override #sctweets
Vote was 110 to 5 to override Arts Commission veto. Voting “no”: Frye, Chumley, Nanney, Norman, Southard. # sctweets
Arts Commission veto now heads to the state Senate. #sctweets
Veto No. 2 is EPSCOR funding — basically research money for universities. Vote is close.
EPSCOR veto (No. 2) is sustained, 70-45. Score: Haley 1, House 1.
House is leaving open option to reconsider veto No. 2. Could come back to it.
Veto No. 3 overridden, 110-10. Sea Grant Consortium survives until at least tomorrow #sctweets
Four and five overridden. Next up: Certificate of Need program, the process that determines if a hospital can expand or open a new hospital
Certificate of Need veto overridden. Next up: $10 million in one time money for teacher salaries. #sctweets
Looks like only “no” vote on teacher pay raises will be Rep. Ralph Norman, R-York #sctweets
Yep. Vote was 113-1 for teacher salaries. #sctweets
Veto No. 8: Governor’s School for Science and Math. Background:http://bit.ly/OOr4d2 #sctweets
Gov. School veto overridden 109-3
Veto 9 is $1 million in deferred maintenance at the Dept of Mental Health. They got a huge increase this year, so House votes to sustain
House voting now on funding for a committee started in the Senate. Rep. White asks to send it to Senate, let them decide. #sctweets
But the House doesn’t listen to him, votes 58-53 to sustain the veto.#sctweets
Next is $783K for Education Oversight Committee. Governor says she likes EOC, but doesn’t like how it is funded.
House overrides EOC veto, 80-34
Next: $2.8 million for IT dept at Judicial Dept. Background: http://bit.ly/LHScPR #sctweets
During votes, House members passionately discuss SEC media day — particularly anything Spurrier says #sctweets
House overrides judicial veto, 108-6 #sctweets
So far, House has only sustained one veto that has money attached to it: $300,000 for the Committee on Children #sctweets
Wait, I was wrong. They sustained the $1 million in deferred maintenance for the Dept. of Mental Health #sctweets
House has sustained 8 vetoes so far. Overridden 10. #sctweets
Follow his Twitter feed at @adambeam. To find out how your legislator voted on vetoes, Adam says to go here — but that must be for later, because I haven’t seen the info show up there yet.
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So let’s be clear – all these veto overrides mean the government has enough money to pay for these items because all the important areas are already covered.
Governor’s School funding could have gone to the less fortunate.
$2.8 million for IT funding for the Judicial Dept. – some well connected contracting firm will get a nice payday.
Check this out… Adam writes,
“Veto 30 is for $100,000 to build a building for the Dept. of Public Safety… The governor vetoed it because she was upset lawmakers did not give Highway Patrol money for more state troopers.House sustains Veto 30, 45-67.”
Now THERE’s a case of a defensible veto, and lawmakers were right to respect it. (At least, it APPEARS so, based on the small amount of info I’ve seen.)
The governor explained what she WANTED to spend the money on instead of what it was appropriated for — and her preference actually happens to be one of the areas that is constantly underfunded in SC. She clearly put a real funding NEED of this state first.
And that’s what’s missing on so many of her vetoes — the explanation of what she wants done with the money instead of what the lawmakers want to do with it.
This is all about PRIORITIES, and what the governor needs to do is make the case for her own priorities. In this case, she apparently did. Good one, Nikki.
Adam notes that “A lot of these vetoes House is sustaining is stuff the Senate put in…”
That’s par for the course. If there’s anything the House is likely to disdain more than what this governor wants, it’s what the Senate wants. It was ever thus…
Adam gives us a heads-up that Nikki is commenting on the votes over on her Facebook page.
Look it you can take it. Standard Haley self-aggrandizement. Whenever she wins one, it is a “victory for the taxpayer.” Because, of course, the legislators whom the taxpayers also elected don’t know what they’re doing. Only Nikki does.
She IS the people, in her mind. Which is the way royalty works — the queen IS sovereign; she IS the nation…
@Doug, the Governor’s School for the Arts is open to any student based on artistic ability and perceived talent, regardless of financial status. The only real cost for the residential HS is the fee for food and scholarships are available for those demonstrating financial need.
What could be more “for the less fortunate” than funding schools of excellence (SCGS recently rated one of the very best HS in the nation) for students from ANY economic background in the state?
@Phillip
“What could be more “for the less fortunate” than funding schools of excellence (SCGS recently rated one of the very best HS in the nation) for students from ANY economic background in the state?”
Giving all the non-artistic students who live in the worst districts a voucher to do the same thing if they chose to.
What on Earth are you talking about, Doug? Every one of those students is able to compete (you know, like they do in the vaunted private sector) for those slots at the governor’s school. No one is barred from doing so. And the parents whose kids go there pay for it the same as all the other parents, it’s not “other people’s money” as you suggested elsewhere. We all pool our resources to have this place for the kids who are best at science or math or the arts or humanities.
And what does this mean? “Giving all the non-artistic students who live in the worst districts a voucher to do the same thing if they chose to.”
“… do the same thing…?” You mean, set up another school with these kinds of standards of excellence? That would take millions more for each school in each location. We can’t even get the funding for these TWO out of this governor, and she’s going to give out enough money in “vouchers” to establish them EVERYWHERE?
Again, everyone in every part of the state competes for these same spots. What’s your problem with this?
@Doug – You know it’s more important that the Governor’s School get oil paints, guitar strings, and ballet shoes than for a rural school get copier paper, printer toner and pencils. Then the legislators pad their singled out budget for additional buildings and building improvements? How many dollars were singled out for Hand Middle School or Dreher High School? None.
@ Doug,
“Giving all the non-artistic students who live in the worst districts a voucher to do the same thing if they chose to.”
This exists. It’s called the Governor’s school for science and math.
The schools with higher standards of excellence already exist. They just aren’t funded by tax dollars.
Provide some vouchers to the students at the worst performing schools (like right downtown in Richland District 1) and let’s see if more schools are created to meet their needs far better than the crappy environment they are forced into now.
The kids at the Governors School are doing exactly what the proponents of vouchers would like to do for all students at underperforming schools. Give them a chance to compete. It would be better to save a few motivated kids than expect to raise the bar enough at those schools in any reasonable timeframe. That will never happen.
Why just give that opportunity just to the kids who are at the top of the food chain?
Adam Beam is a great writer and does a great service to the state. I gotta toss Corey Hutchins name in there as well. Both Adam Beam and Corey are widely talented and their stories are must read.
On a smaller stages i recommend Eva Moore (@yesevamoore) as a good follow for those interested in City of Columbia meetings. She gives a great play by play and makes it possible for those of us that have bizarre work hours to keep connected.
Agreed on Adam and Corey!
FWIW, although I most definitely support the Governor’s Schools, and the irony of the name just hit me, I wonder if Doug isn’t right–how many students can qualify for the Arts school without plenty of expensive private tutelage? At teh Southeastern Piano Festival, a Russian pianist told of how in Soviet Russia, kids were screened at five and if they showed signs of talent, sent to intensive conservatories. Do we have any similar screening?
It is more possible for a gifted kid in STEM or the liberal arts to make headway using libraries and the internet, but I wonder how many arts students make the cut for the Governor’s School who have only relied on public study/
I think it’s like the Life Scholarships–transfers of wealth from the poorer sectors who buy lottery tickets to the middle class who send thie kids to college.
“a Russian pianist told of how in Soviet Russia, kids were screened at five and if they showed signs of talent, sent to intensive conservatories. Do we have any similar screening?”
It’s called holding kids back in Kindergarten so they’ll be bigger for football and basketball when they get to high school.
The only people I know who send their kids to the Governor’s School are all college professors and their kids are pretty screwed up.
“I think it’s like the Life Scholarships–transfers of wealth from the poorer sectors who buy lottery tickets to the middle class who send thie kids to college.”
We can’t hold everybody’s hand in their decision making. Dumb people do dumb things, some play the lottery, some screw around and drop out of school. The Life Scholarships are available to everyone who can maintain a certain grade point average. To be successful in life you have to give at least some effort… which apparently is tough for some.
Is Kathryn suggesting we ship 5 year olds off to conservatories around the country like they do in Russia and China?
@Scout
How many slots are available at the Governor’s School? Is anyone turned away? If so, then the system is not serving those who might benefit from it.
A voucher would give those who can’t get into the Governor’s School a chance they will never have in their lousy schools. The government shouldn’t select winners and losers especially when it comes to the educational opportunities for anyone motivated to lift themselves up. Better to launch a few lifeboats than wait for the tide to raise all boats.
As to Katherine’s point: You’re highly unlikely to make the cut at GS if your field is ballet. That takes years of preparation that you’ll have to pay for. But if your talent is science or math or creative writing, you can get there without expensive private lessons.
So it depends.
“As to Katherine’s point”
“Katherine”… oh dear Lord what have you done now?!?
This discussion has, once again, taken a turn into the surreal.
It looks like a lot of hats have been exchanged regarding this topic of the Governor’s schools.
I’m going to make an observation and try to do it without naming names. I have over the last few years become interested in the topic of college selection and matriculation. I have been consistently surprised at the results coming out of this state’s elite private schools. I am surprised that they are so mediocre. The very best of the private schools (and therefore generally the most affluent and socially advantaged families) seem to have a serious difficulty securing acceptances from the nation’s top-tier private universities and colleges. Is this a curse on South Carolina? (It is much more difficult to get a sense of what kind of successes the state’s public schools have in accessing the top-tier universities and colleges as they don’t publicize the way the private schools trumpet their results.) Or is everyone here so complacent to accept mediocrity? I am not knocking the state’s public and private universities with this observation; I am simply making a comparison between what I have a sense has been the success rates of the two Governor’s schools and what I empirically know about the recent successes of coming out of the elite private schools in the state.
Yes, it is very important that the many have access to a good education. It is, however, equally important to the future of this state as a whole that some have access to the very best educational opportunities. Now, it appears that this is most achievable for the children who are sent away to boarding school out of state.
Oops. Good catch, Steven. Sorry about that, Kathryn.
And you call yourself an “editor”.
Yes, I do. Only without the quotation marks. 😉
That, of course, is the most insidious sort of error. I spelled the name correctly, it was just the wrong name (or rather, the wrong correct spelling of the name). That’s one of the hardest errors to catch in proofreading…
Just to update: This morning, Adam provides this link to a full list of what the House did yesterday. The Senate will take up the vetoes today.
Oh, and the link he pointed us to yesterday, of how everyone voted on the override attempts, is now updated with yesterday’s actions.
The Senate gets started at 1 p.m…. I recommend you follow Adam’s Tweets if you want real-time info (assuming he is covering that, and not Gina or someone else).
I’m going to be in and out of the office, and not in a position to blog as it’s happening…
“I think it’s like the Life Scholarships–transfers of wealth from the poorer sectors who buy lottery tickets to the middle class who send thie kids to college.”
@kath Lottery is a personal choice. If you wanna tax yourself go ahead.
“We can’t hold everybody’s hand in their decision making. Dumb people do dumb things, some play the lottery, some screw around and drop out of school. The Life Scholarships are available to everyone who can maintain a certain grade point average. To be successful in life you have to give at least some effort… which apparently is tough for some.”
@SD II
I find myself agreeing with SDII completely on this.
Liberty is about letting people make their own decisions. If the lottery is your retirement plan feel free.
If you hit the powerball I won’t ask them for $$$. just don’t be a burden on me.
That’s an accurate description of what the lottery does. And it was brought to us by Democrats, in direct contradiction of what they say they believe in.
And yes, I’d rather be taxed more to support these things, since you bring it up.
Brad, just be glad if Kathryn and the others don’t jump all over you because of a misspelling… my latest “Drab” instead of “Darb” misspelling from a week ago launched all kinds of comments including being called ignorant.
As for this assertion: “We can’t hold everybody’s hand in their decision making.”
Perhaps not. But we can certainly avoid going out of our way to devise a scheme for deliberately duping them out of their money.
It is unconscionable for a state government to do that to its citizens.
“It is unconscionable for a state government to do that to its citizens.”
You mean the elected officials aren’t doing what the public wants? Jim Hodges was elected because the electorate wanted a lottery. I haven’t heard any great call for it to be abolished.
I’d like to see all forms of gambling opened up in the state.
OMG SD2,
You made a spelling error in a joke you were making about spelling. That’s funny, and I joked wunce in response (see what I did there?).
There was no jumping all over you by Kathryn and others, and there weren’t all kinds of comments, and no one called you ignorant or anything of the kind.
You asked Scout what kind of parents didn’t check the spelling on their child’s birth certificate (again with the spelling, SD2?) and I told Scout that I’d answer your question. My answer was that perhaps that kind of parent was illiterate.
And you want these gambling operations run by the state, Doug? That surprises me…
And Michael… I think what Steven is remembering is the discussion over his pleading ignorance over who various people in the news were. Just as I pleaded ignorance about Anderson Cooper…
exactly…he plead ignorance about who Norah Ephron was, despite having a search window conveniently located in the upper right corner, and then got all disturbed when we agreed with him…..
OMG Michael – Really??? OMG??? No, this was about the topic where I called you Radar and you got your feeling hurt because you thought I was insulting your comment, “That is all”. Then you called me Nevets, and I had no idea what you were talking about. Brad explained it, and I asked him if I could call him “Drab” instead of “Darb” and you called me ignorant. Remember now?
@Brad
I want government oversight not government run.
Casinos in Myrtle Beach would be a huge boost to the economy as would legalized sports gambling. The revenues from just college football betting in this state would be significant.
It is borderline ludicrous that in this country all forms of gambling are legal in just a few specific places.
Think about what casinos would bring to Myrtle Beach. With better weather than Atlantic City and closer than Vegas for the entire East Coast, it would be the destination spot for conventions.
Why not make South Carolina the tourism destination for the Eastern half of the country?
Brad, why not… if Nevada can have their own state gaming commission, why not South Carolina? We allow state government to have their hands in every other pot in state.
I don’t mind casinos, but just got back from St Louis. I think they have 4 or 5 of them downtown, and the downtown has tumbleweeds blowing past empty storefronts. Las Vegas likewise. I don’t think they are the lure they used to be. Besides, no one goes to Myrtle Beach anymore. It’s too crowded.
I’m with you on that last point, Yogi. I don’t think we need to exert ourselves particularly in an effort to bring MORE people to MB.
You’d have a better argument — and the argument has been made — if you wanted to put gambling operations in poor, rural counties, say along I-95. You wouldn’t persuade me, but you’d have a better argument.
Last thing MB needs is more tacky stuff. It’s got so much now that you can hardly move there…
@Steven,
You have never hurt my feelings. I have never called you ignorant. That is all.
Regards,
Mike
@Kathryn – We aren’t even on the same discussion.
@Brad
“Last thing MB needs is more tacky stuff. It’s got so much now that you can hardly move there…”
funny last time I was in Atlantic City Myrtle Beach is EXACTLY what it reminded me of. Sun faded awning from the 80s and buildings that saw their better days in the 80s.
Really? Because you sure squealed plenty about how I called you ignorant.
Whatever.
I think myrtle beach ought to be the Yucca Mountain of Tacky stuff. Move all of it there to keep the rest of America safe.
@Kathryn – What are you talking about? “Whatever”… good answer.