Thursday, April 17, 2003 (Final edition posted at 10:00 a.m.)

Tenenbaum calls for tax hike to fund schools

State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum called for a tax increase to avoid firing an estimated 6,000 teachers statewide because of recent shrinkage in state tax collections.

Tenenbaum did not specify what tax should be raised to produce more money for education, but there were about 500 educators, parents and students gathered at the Statehouse on Wednesday, asking lawmakers to restore education funding by raising the state sales tax by 2 cents on the dollar.

Education project should be rescued

From today's The State
A guest column by S.C. Sen. Nikki Setzler:

"South Carolina state government is in the midst of a budget crisis that means all of us have to tighten our belts and learn to do more with less. But there is one area of our state budget where we can least afford to make additional cuts: public education.

It has become a cliche to note that South Carolina is near the bottom in so many good things and near the top in so many bad things. However, during the past several years, we have made a significant commitment to improving our state's educational system, and those efforts are paying off. Recently, South Carolina has been held up as a national model for education reform and accountability.

As I mentioned earlier, success in education takes all of us working together. While I am personally committed to working to restore funding for Communities in Schools, I also believe that this budget crisis is an opportunity for the business community and others to come together to look for alternative ways to support this and other worthy programs."

• Jackson says fight for a MLK holiday in Greenville is not over yet WYFF-TV
• Jackson says march through Greenville will be delayed until mid May. Greenville News.
• Council chair said she wasn't pressured to vote against holiday. Greenville News.
• Brooks: King Day mess is not over yet
  "Yes, it was sad Tuesday night. It's hard to extinguish the hope against hope that someone — in this case, plural someones — would do the unexpected. That all of a sudden, they would get it. They would see, they would understand." Greenville News.
• Local NAACP branches urge York County to rethink King Day Rock Hill Herald

• Teachers, students rally for school funding
  About 500 educators, parents and students gathered at the Statehouse on Wednesday, asking lawmakers to restore education funding by raising the state sales tax by 2 cents on the dollar. The State/AP, WIS-TV,* Rock Hill Herald,* WLTX-TV

* S.C. Senate redistricting at risk
Unless agreement can be reached on plans to redraw state Senate district lines quickly, then those plans could be done for, which means there would be no change in Horry and Georgetown senate districts. Myrtle Beach Sun News

* Spratt worries war, tax cuts could up deficit
U.S. Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., has been a vocal opponent of President Bush's proposed $1.3 trillion in tax cuts, which includes a current proposal for $726 billion in tax cuts and $650 billion in tax cuts in 2001. Rock Hill Herald

* Squadron arrives back in Charleston
Members of the 14th Airlift Squadron have returned from more than three months flying missions in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. WLTX-TV

* Gas prices continue creeping downward
As tension has eased in Iraq, gasoline prices in the Orangeburg area plummeted for the third consecutive week. Orangeburg Times and Democrat

Safety-Kleen investors sue auditor
Some Safety-Kleen investors are suing the waste management company's auditing firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, claiming it produced misleading financial statements. The State/AP

* Wellington Leisure Company plant closes down in Summerville Summerville Journal

Schools stress importance of being an involved parent
Teachers say it is easier to enforce student expectations when parents understand and support them. The State

* Flooding leaves residents stranded in Marion County
Recent flooding of the Great Pee Dee River has trapped several Marion County residents in their homes and forced many others to relocate. Florence Morning News

* Drought officially over, busy storm season predicted
South Carolina's drought has ended, and the state is predicted to have near normal rainfall this spring followed by an unusually busy hurricane season that could leave the state even wetter. Post and Courier

Easley hospital expands lab accessibility to patients
In response to complaints on the lack of parking for the Palmetto Baptist Hospital lab in Easley, a second lab has been opened which offers the full range of diagnostic tests, on-site registration and ample parking. Greenville News

* TRMC re-accredited by joint commission
The Regional Medical Center of Orangeburg & Calhoun Counties has achieved the Gold Seal of Approval for health care quality with its hospital accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Orangeburg Times and Democrat

• York County is No. 1 in the state in population growth Rock Hill Herald, Post and Courier/AP

* Sen. Elliot pushing for a S.C. 9 upgrade
State Sen. Dick Elliott will tell the state Department of Transportation Commission today that the proposed Interstate 73 is too uncertain and far away, so S.C. 9 should be upgraded quickly to capture vital N.C. tourist traffic. Myrtle Beach Sun News

* Board backs cigarette tax increase, employment-at-will
The Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce has endorsed both a cigarette tax increase to fund the state's Medicaid program and statutory employment-at-will legislation. Orangeburg Times and Democrat

* Sumter officials work to keep funding for Biopure
Officials in Sumter are trying to persuade the state Department of Commerce to reverse its decision to cut nearly $220,000 from a tobacco fund grant meant to help bring sewer service to the future site of the Biopure facility. Sumter Item

* Tax forum focuses on disputed cap
A forum in Charleston on Wednesday largely dealt with the county's reassessment cap, which limits the taxable increase of a property's value due to reassessment to 15 percent. Post and Courier

* Charleston lawmakers move for new election staff
Charleston County lawmakers have moved to replace members of the county's two election boards by calling for new applicants to come forward. Post and Courier

* Mount Pleasant makes additions to recreaction park
Mount Pleasant town officials have agreed to spend $1.25 million more to add tennis courts, a walking trail and another baseball field at Park West. Post and Courier

* Partisan school bill approved by Senate
On Wednesday, Republicans in the state Senate passed legislation to introduce partisan politics to the Charleston County School Board. Post and Courier

* Second marina in works in Fort Mill
Tega Cay may get a new boat marina on Nivens Creek, where the land was annexed by the city last spring. Fort Mill Times

Council fails to reconsider
"The Greenville County Council refused Tuesday night to reconsider its regrettable decision from two weeks earlier in which the council majority rejected a paid holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr." Greenville News

Buses break down
"School buses in South Carolina are in such poor condition that Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum recently had to divert $10 million intended for new buses to an account to repair old buses. That's a short-term fix at best, but it's necessary to maintain current bus service for 355,000 students statewide." Greenville News

Local government has right to regulate billboards, sex shops
"Various local governments in our state, including Columbia and Richland County, have taken steps to control such nuisances as billboard clutter, topless bars and other sexually oriented businesses." The State

* Stop the slaughter
"There are so many uncontrollable factors causing South Carolina roads to be among America's most dangerous that it's hard to fathom why lawmakers would resist a chance to save lives." Rock Hill Herald

Former USCB dean, Beaufort friend dies
"Another of America's unsung heroes was buried Saturday in Roanoke, Va. Darwin Brooks Bashaw was one of those people who went off to college and then the military to serve his country in a time of need, returning to perform a public service as a civilian state employee." Beaufort Gazette

* Don't let lottery funding for K-5 be a permanent budget casualty
"The Legislature has provided some needed flexibility to financially struggling public schools by freeing up restricted grants for general use by the schools. Unfortunately, a casualty of that decision has been the special programs funded by the lottery for grades K-5." Post and Courier

* Needless work-zone deaths
"Signs urging motorists to "Let 'Em Work, Let 'Em Live" remind motorists across South Carolina to use appropriate caution when driving through road construction and repair zones. But the workers in those zones -- the " 'Em" in those signs -- aren't the only people at risk when motorists fail to use appropriate caution." Post and Courier

* Loris has right idea
"Not content to see their town decline further, Loris leaders have seized upon a proven means for turning a town around: the Main Street USA program. It works. Witness Conway, a Main Street USA community." Myrtle Beach Sun News

* Hogs disrupt home rule
"Legislators meddle so often in local affairs that railing against this habit gets wearisome. But Horry County Council's legislatively inspired vote April 8 to impose tougher zoning regulations on hog and poultry farms merits special attention." Myrtle Beach Sun News

Bolton: Columbia would benefit from discussion about form of government
"About a year ago, I ran into three influential African-Americans who had just finished a discussion about whether the city of Columbia should be run by a full-time mayor. The State

Setzler: Education project should be rescued
"South Carolina state government is in the midst of a budget crisis that means all of us have to tighten our belts and learn to do more with less. But there is one area of our state budget where we can least afford to make additional cuts: public education." The State

SC Clips is published every business day by subscription as a summary of South Carolina news. Users are required to comply with our subscriber agreement. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the subscription. Questions? info@scclips.com.

Editor and publisher: Andy Brack | Assistant editor: Conni Castagna | Assistant editor: Sara King

NOTE: Links offered on SC Clips may work only on the day each issue is published as some news organizations archive content.

© 2003, SC Statehouse Report. SC Clips is a media service of SC Statehouse Report, Charleston, SC Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of SC Statehouse Report. This prohibition extends to sharing this publication with clients and/or affiliate companies. All rights reserved.