Friday, May 23, 2003
Final edition posted at 9:45 a.m.
Newly-added stories marked with an asterisk (*)

EDITOR'S NOTE: In observance of Memorial Day, SC Clips will not publish Monday. Have a safe holiday.

Senate kills governor's tax-swap plan

The Senate voted 28-18 Thursday to kill a tax swap to raise cigarette taxes 53 cents per pack while reducing the top income-tax rate to 5 percent from 7 percent.

The tax swap was backed by Gov. Mark Sanford, who was flying to Bermuda for a family vacation when the Senate voted Thursday afternoon.

The Senate is struggling to raise $171 million in Medicaid funding. It adjourned Thursday evening in frustration, with Democrats and Republicans blaming each other for the lack of a revenue plan to address education and healthcare needs and offering only grim hope of a compromise before the Legislature ends its regular session on June 5.

House bill would restrict government growth

From today's edition of Spartanburg Herald-Journal:

"State government isn't growing this year because lawmakers don't have any money to spend, and they aren't willing to raise taxes. But part of the budget problem they face this year comes from the way they spent freely when the economy was growing.

"While money was coming in, lawmakers spent it. They started new spending programs and agencies, enlarging the state government and the size of the budget it takes to fund that government.

"Now that the economy has faltered, and state revenues are declining, lawmakers find themselves at a loss to fund this larger state government.

"That lesson can't be lost when the economy improves and state revenues begin to grow again."

Last S.C. combat unit returns home from Iraq
When 100 support personnel from the 115th arrive today, the last of the Marine Corps Air Station's three combat squadrons that deployed to the Middle East will have returned from the war, and they are also the last South Carolina-based combat unit to return to the state. The State, Beaufort Gazette, Hilton Head Island Packet, * Carolina Morning News

U.S. Education Department approves of SC school reform goals
A US Department of Education official said that South Carolina's plan for complying with President Bush's school reform goals meets federal expectations during a Thursday visit to Columbia. The State

• * House passes two education reform bills Myrtle Beach Sun News/AP

SC law enforcement pushing SC to buckle up
The Office of Highway Safety is pushing the safety initiative "Buckle Up South Carolina," and extra patrols are working state roadways until June 1st, looking for motorists who break the law. WIS-TV

Officials say tourism holding its own in SC
The head of the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department says tourism in South Carolina is holding its own, but other states are increasing their efforts. Spartanburg Herald-Journal

McMaster says private firm should operate marine terminal
State Attorney General Henry McMaster says the State Ports Authority had no right to take control of a marine terminal at the former Charleston Navy Base from a private company. Spartanburg Herald-Journal/AP

* Darby plans to seek presidency of S.C. NAACP
Charleston-area NAACP leader the Rev. Joe Darby says he will run for state president of the organization when elections are held in October. Post and Courier

SC Business Hall of Fame inducts 3
Three business leaders, including retired SCANA Corp. chairman and chief executive officer Lawrence M. Gressette Jr., were inducted Thursday into the SC Business Hall of Fame. The State

Research may lead to new airlock for astronauts
A new fabric airlock developed by a team of Clemson University and textile industry researchers has been approved by NASA and could eventually be used in space stations, a lunar way station or a Mars habitat. Greenville News,* Anderson Independent Mail

Navy signs $434 million contract with Lockheed
The defense contractor's Aircraft and Logistics Centers, as its Donaldson facility is called, was chosen by the Navy to do maintenance on its fleet of P-3 Orion aircraft, a contract worth potentially $434 million over five years. Greenville News

Developer says auto park plan is still moving along
Miami developer Cliff Rosen is moving along with plans for an auto research park in Greenville County, even though Gov. Mark Sanford still has concerns about Rosen's role in the state-supported project. Greenville News, The State

Expert says HomeGold should close
A court-hired expert said HomeGold Financial Corp. would best serve its creditors by shutting down rather than continuing to bleed red ink. The State

* S.C. company close to completion of deal to buy N.C. plant
New Tech Environmental Systems of Fort Mill, S.C. is apparently close to completing the purchase of a troubled paper mill in Transylvania County for $1.3 million. Rock Hill Herald

* Arizona-based company purchases Tufco Technologies’ Paint Sundries
The recent purchase of Tufco Technologies’ Paint Sundries business by an Arizona company has resulted in the creation of 50 new jobs for Clarendon County. Sumter Item

* Howard, Altman feud continues
Leon Howard and John Graham Altman III's ongoing feud in the state House nearly derailed legislation Thursday to introduce partisan politics to the Charleston County School Board. Post and Courier

Mitchell announces write-in candidacy for Greenville mayor
Billy Mitchell, who has been fighting Greenville officials over his South Main Street property since last summer, announced Thursday he will be a petition candidate. Greenville News, WYFF-TV

* New head of bank promises aid in RIDE shortfall
The new chairman of the state Infrastructure Bank said he'll do everything he can to help Horry County with its expected shortfall in bank payments for new roads. Myrtle Beach Sun News

Greer setting record pace for new houses
If the pace of new home construction continues until year's end, the number of new housing starts in Greer will double from last year. Greenville News

• Record building pace puts stress on inspectors in Greer Greenville News

Beaufort committee calls for scrutiny of projects
Beaufort County Council is considering adding a layer of public scrutiny to large-scale projects to make sure they comply with the comprehensive plan before they are approved. Hilton Head Island Packet

Laurens sheriff asks county for more deputies
Laurens County's sheriff wants 10 more deputies hired in the new budget year to cover a growing county, but a tight budget could force the County Council to cut that number to five or even less. Greenville News

* I-73 study will get slighty less money this year
Interstate 73 will get less planning money this year than expected, but it will likely not make a difference. Myrtle Beach Sun News

* York County cuts lobbying job
Due to a lean 2003-04 budget, former County Council Chairman Carl Gullick will be out of a job as one of York County's two lobbyists. Charlotte Observer

* NAACP files lawsuit against Myrtle Beach
Lawsuits filed by the NAACP says Grand Strand law enforcement and a resort hotel discriminate against blacks during an annual black biker rally. WCBD-TV

* Commerce secretary describes restructuring of agency in Greenwood
State Secretary of Commerce Bob Faith was in Greenwood Thursday for the second of six regional “open door” meetings to address local officials about upcoming department changes. Greenwood Index-Journal

* Summerville's decision on alcohol defended
The first license to sell alcohol on Sundays in a town store in Summerville was given out Thursday after four days of utter confusion, but the state Revenue Department chief defended his agency's actions. Post and Courier

* Traffic ticket revenue falling short in Ehrhardt
Traffic ticket revenues are at only 23.64 percent of the budget projections for the fiscal year 2003-2004 in Ehrhardt. Orangeburg Times and Democrat

* Chester Council plots future of highway project
An informal poll of Chester County councilmen reveals there is enough interest among them to utilize a $2 million grant to extend sewer lines to a county-owned tract of land along SC 99. Chester News and Reporter

Big balloons aloft
"Accolades continue to stack up for the popular hot air balloon festival that takes place this weekend in Anderson. Pontiac GMC Freedom Weekend Aloft recently was named one of the top 100 events in the nation by Events Media, publisher of a magazine and owner of the Web site eventcrazy.com." Greenville News

Bill passed by House would restrict government growth
"State government isn't growing this year because lawmakers don't have any money to spend, and they aren't willing to raise taxes. But part of the budget problem they face this year comes from the way they spent freely when the economy was growing." Spartanburg Herald-Journal

Give Richardson credit for bucking the hierarchy
"State Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, deserves credit for swimming against the tide in the Senate this week to try to get more state funding for public school students." Hilton Head Island Packet

* Sunday alcohol sales confusion
"It could have gone smoother, but in the end the state Department of Revenue made the right call in deciding to issue permits to Summerville businesses for both on-site and off-premises consumption of alcohol on Sundays in the wake of a recent successful referendum. But the department director, Burnet R. Maybank III, still has a legitimate concern. The law under which off-premises sales of beer and wine are being allowed needs either legislative or legal clarification." Post and Courier

* Well rid of video gambling
"A research study reports that South Carolina's outlawing of video gambling in 2000 was followed by a steep decline in active gambling addicts in this state. That's welcome, albeit predictable, news." Post and Courier

* You can live beyond '100 Deadliest Days'
"It won't make it into law this year, but a bill passed by Senate committee shows legislative intent to put teeth in the state's seat-belt law.With South Carolina having the third-highest death rate of any state in the nation, it's time." Orangeburg Times and Democrat

County may yet come together
"The divide between northern and southern Beaufort County may have been narrowed a bit this week with a joint economic program featuring Gov. Mark Sanford." Beaufort Gazette

Bolton: Gangs are a problem, but failure to engage children is biggest threat
"I don't know if members of the Bloods or Folk Nation read the editorial page much. - In case they do, there is something I'd like for them to know: This isn't a good day to die, not for you or anyone else. The community has held its collective breath this week in fear that the Bloods would retaliate against Folk Nation, a gang affiliated with the Crips. Why? A Folk Nation member is the accused in the shooting death of a high-ranking Bloods leader in March." The State

Shaw: Arbitrary cap penalizes nursing-home patients
"With many of our essential health care programs for seniors under pressure from budget freezes and cuts, our Medicare beneficiaries residing in nursing facilities in South Carolina soon will be subjected to unwarranted and arbitrary limits on their rehabilitation therapy care." The State

* Roe: Lowcountry Republicans have Senate opportunity
"The State newspaper in Columbia this week headlined that U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings has notified the state Democratic Party that he might decline to run if a viable alternative emerges. To the readers of this column, that's old news." Carolina Morning News

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