Kevin Bryant

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina

Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina

 

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Rick Driver Wednesday 05.05.10 @ 8am

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update ii: I’ll be calling in Wednesday @ 8am

update: had to cancel. Ann got sick last night…taking to Dr.
I’ll be on the hot seat Monday morning on the Rick Driver Show at 8am. I’ll be focusing on the recent budget, the 24 hour, roll call voting, and more. Rick can be found on the am dial at 1230 am or online at here. The call in line is 864.225.1230.”That’s why we call it an open forum” Rick has said frequently. Whether you like his show or not, it is definitely an open forum. Anything goes.

Powdersville County Council Debate Thursday 05.06.10

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Powdersville Post will hold debate for Anderson County Council District 6 candidates
 
POWDERSVILLE — The Powdersville Post will hold a debate at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Powdersville Fire Department between the four candidates running for the Anderson County District 6 Council seat.
The four candidates are Republicans Rick Freemantle, Ann Smith, Ken Waters and Democrat Donovan Loftis.

The incumbent is Ron Wilson, who chose not to file to run again this year.

A panel of three will ask be asking the questions.The Powdersville Fire Department is located at 10600 Anderson Road (81) in Easley.

All of District 6 is unincorporated, but it does have several communities, including Powdersville, Slabtown, White Plains, Wren, and Mt. Airy. The district’s population is about 28,000.

while you were sleeping…

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The Senate finalized the apropriations bill (budget) at 5 am Friday (04.30.10) morning. The Senate approved a $23 million tax increase in the form of a car renewal fee. I made the point of order that this amendment violated rule 24 as it changes permanent law. Lt. Governor Andre Bauer was the presiding officer and sustained my point of order. In an unusual move (I’ve never seen this), a motion was made to over-rule the president’s ruling. The Lt. Governor was removed from the chamber and over ruled!

The fee is directed to the underfunded Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol), however, I discovered 1/2 a billion in carry forward dollars in agencies. The oldest trick in the book is to waste your money behind your back, then raise taxes and justify it by “essential services”.

In the late hours of the night while you were sleeping, a tax increase is proposed and ruled out of order, the chairman is kicked out of the chamber and the taxpayer is shafted once again. Here’s the members that voted to protect you the taxpayer: Bright, Bryant, Davis, Grooms, Knotts, Martin (Shane), Massey, Mulvaney, Peeler, Rose, Ryberg, Shoopman, Thomas, Verdin

Inovista, Endowed Chairs win over classroom funding

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This morning we passed a Sense of the Senate declaring our commitment to finding ways to get more money to the classroom teachers. There was applause from the balcony as it was full of teachers from across this state.

Less than an hour later there was an amendment offered that would send 100’s of millions of dollars to the classroom. Unfortunately, the Senate did not have the opportunity to vote on this amendment because of technical objections while our kids aren’t having their classroom needs met. We weren’t even allowed to vote on the amendment. I’m disappointed that the sense of the Senate resolution seems to be mostly an empty promise.

I offered an amendment transferring $231,777,139 in funds from agencies to EFA (Education Finance Act). The EFA is the funding formula that goes directly to the classroom. Here’s what this amount of funds could do. The average teacher salary including benefits is $58,922. This adds up to 3,933 teachers! The sources included Inovista, Endowed Chairs, and the Budget & Control Board. All of these agencies had more than enough funds to absorb these cuts.