Sanford praises Jackson over shorter sessions

Republican Gov. Mark Sanford today issued the following statement on Democratic Richland Sen. Darrell Jackson's proposal to shorten next year's legislative session in response to the state's budget situation:

"I'd first off applaud Senator Jackson for his leadership on this front, because this is an idea whose merit should really be apparent to people on both sides of the aisle," Sanford said. "We believe a shorter legislative session would not only save money, but would also serve as a deterrent to so many of the things that we believe unnecessarily prolong the legislative session like early adjournments and excessive recognitions from the floor. To its credit, the House has long supported the notion of a shorter legislative session, so we're very pleased that idea appears to finally be gaining ground in the Senate as well. We hope that this proposal gains support, and that it serves as a first step to shortening the session permanently."

Comments

[ron]

This absolutely won't pass. It would mean reduced time for lawmakers to booze and carouse at taxpayer expense.

[Bill C.]

I can not find one reason why our legislators have to be in session for six months out of the year. Other states are able to meet for three months a year and some are able to meet for 3-6 months every other year and are able to complete a 2-year budget. In SC, it appears that nothing gets done until the last 2-3 weeks of the session.

[cindy]

In view of the crisis in state gov`t
my suggestion is that state employees be given furloughs for fridays only.working 4 days a week would cut expenses and balance the budget...2 or 3 months only, its worth a try.....

[Bill C.]

Cindy, you do realize that by "furlough" on Fridays, you just cut every state employees pay by 20% (Five day work week). Are you willing to take a 20% cut in pay during this same time period? Didn't think so.

[CH Mueller]

3 months sounds good, given that they meet 3 days anyway and take care of actual business the waning part of session. That takes the per diem off the table for the extra 3 months that they get regardless. They eat breakfast free and lunch free provided by some organization or state agency that needs to woo them. With video conferencing, they don't have to physically meet, they could take care of business that way. I think Cindy meant 4 10 hour days and Fridays off, not 4 regular days.

[Bedfellows]

Sanford hates government and wants it to die.

Jackson loves government but it cost him, a very rich man, to much money to be there for 6 months.

Strange bedfellows to be sure.

[Mike]

Sanford sees the amount of time wasted on legislative skip days and "do nothing" days. It's time to stop funding museums and statues and start funding the necessities. Take a look at the legislative calendar and look at all of the free meals and socials. Give me a break.

It's time to quit trying to balance the budget on the state employees heads and focus on the real problems. Of course, those idiots are so out of touch, they don't know what the problems are.

[truth4u]

The only real Stimulus

Receive A Check Monthly
Bring home A bigger Pay Check
You could receive a check Monthly from the Gov. for doing absolutely nothing, WOW! But That's not all. you could also eliminate all fed. Taxes from being took out of your pay check, That's Right!! With the Fair Tax this is all true but there's even more, you would no longer have to file them confusing tax forms every year, Also no more Estate tax, investment or capitol tax, And there's even so many more benefits to see the whole list visit http://www.fairtax.org . With the fair tax all the taxes above and more would be eliminated by just a simple 23% sales tax, That's Right! No more Tax worries and headaches just by simply adding a simple Sales Tax.
You may be asking how I can get the Fair Tax, It's Simple, Just Call and Email your Governor and your Representatives on State and Federal level and Demand the Fair Tax NOW!!!!
Fair Tax Facts:

1. Repeal the federal income tax.

2. Repeal all payroll taxes including Social Security and Medicare.

3. Protect and ensure the funding of Social Security and Medicare.

4. Repeal corporate and self-employment taxes.

5. Repeal all estate, gift, and capital gains taxes.

6. Taxation of income will be unconstitutional upon repeal of the 16th amendment.

7. Allow you to keep 100% of your paycheck, pension, and social security payment.
View your Paycheck! under the FairTax plan.

8. Bring about a reduction of the cost of new goods and services by 20% to 30%.

9. Raise the same amount of money for the federal government, i.e. "revenue neutral."

10. Eliminate the Internal Revenue Service.
- No more taxpayer time wasted on filling out cumbersome IRS forms.
- No more IRS audits of individual taxpayers, no more IRS intimidation, no more levies,
liens or home seizures by the IRS.

11. Substantially reduce tax rates for lower and middle-income Americans.
- Income Tax vs FairTax: MONEY AHEAD!

12. Allow families to save more for Home Ownership, Education and Retirement.

13. Provide a universal rebate equal to the sales tax paid on essential goods and
services to ensure that no American pays taxes on necessities.
Important! The Rebate is based only on family size (not on Income).

All Americans will receive the Rebate, in advance, monthly! Click REBATE!
to see the Chart for 2004. All Seniors, including those on Social Security, will be
pleased to note that they will receive the Rebate, too.

14. Apply a 23% tax-inclusive rate sales tax on the purchase of New Goods and
services in the U.S. Note: Used Goods and Education costs (example: College Tuition)
are not subject to the FairTax.

15. Make American products more competitive at home and overseas. Encourage
job-creation in America. Help reduce America's Trade Deficit.

16. Stimulate economic growth in the U.S. by a far greater amount than the
government's "tax-cuts" and "stimulus package" will ever do... and enable
the economy to continue to grow year-after-year.

[truth4u]

With Fair Tax USA Would become the Car Maker of the world!!!

Corporate tax on major company's are around 37% and I do not think anyone really knows the exact amount built in to USA goods because if you look at the BMW plant here in SC, If you took the tax they pay It would be a HUGE under-estimate to just look at BMW's passed down on to the car because Michelin tires also pay Big taxes and pass them down on their tires to BMW as do Lear Seats as do Spartan Steel as do the battery maker and on and on and as do every single part on that car that is made here in the USA. It would be very interesting to know exactly how much tax is really built into that car, I believe it would be shocking.

They say around 27% of the cost is taxes passed down but I think it would be a little higher because if you look at how much the Companies spend on keeping up and paying these taxes and also keeping up and being a tax collector with pay roll taxes this cost has to be high and also passed down on a product also.

*Even just taking the 27% built in figure, with fair tax a American car that now sales for $20,000 would come down to $14,600 and then be taxed at the retail level at 23% bring the cost to $17,958.

*But now with the Fair Tax the American made car can be exported and sold over seas for $14,600 instead of $20,000. Just think of all the car manufactures rushing here to the US to build their cars, JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.

*Imported car makers are not taxed by the US. so there is no US. tax built into their cars so a $20,000 imported car taxed at 23% would then be $24,600.

**How about the Cheap imports- a imported car selling below what our car makes can make them for at the very low cost of $14,000, when fair taxed it becomes $17,220 . Now compare that to the $20,000 American made car after Fair taxed above.

Just think of all the car manufactures rushing here to the US to build their cars, JOBS, JOBS, JOBS.

More Jobs means more buying power means more tax revenue.

[Mary]

In response to Cindy's post that state employees should be furloughed, cindy does not realize that this results in a paycut for the employee. I work for the state and have not receive a raise in six years, my husband has not received one in 9 years. Obviously, cindy works for a private company and has had increases. Want to increase funds and resolve this issue, call your legistlator and ask for him or her to suport and increase in cigarette taxes. This notion that it's ok to fulough employees or make them take a pay cut, yes some are already having to do that, but not raise the cigarette tax is crazy.

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Now would be a good time to talk to your representative. The only time you see them are hear from them is when they are running for re-election. In the case of Barnwell county we have (1) senator and (2) representtives. The senator lives in Orangeburg county and one of the representatives lives in Bamberg County. So much for having a local represnetative.

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Wish thing had spell check

[Bob]

I also praise Jackson for the shorter sessions. The shorter the session, the less likely they are to dream up ways to tax and spend!Remember, a penny saved is a government oversight!

[Bob]

Some state only have 30 day sessions.The pigs we have in our state house are not going to shorten their sessions. Check the records, they get thousands of dollars worth free meals where they make most of their crooked deals. In the last couple of years, one of the porkers tried to raise the amount that could be spent on their bribe meals from $30.00 to $50.00 per meal. How many of you taxpayers ever had anyone buy you a $50.00 meal. Many of you should not complain though since you keep voting the same good ole boys back in office. If the spineless, gutless cowards really cared about anyone but themselves, they would tell the people that buy them all the bribe meals to donate that money to woman's shelters or homeless shealters. There is not a one of them that has the guts to make that proposal.

[Bob]

I praise Jackson also because the only time your wallet is safe is when these vultures are not in session!

[CONFUSED STATE WORKER]

I am a state worker. Most of my co-workers believe that the best way to save some money in the state agencies are that they do something about the retired employees who have return back to the same jobs they had before they retired. The governor and the very overpaid state directors need to take a 10% to 20% cut in their pay. They are not doing anything but just talking. They are not worried about gas prices, house and car payments,etc. Some them are still driving government issued cars with the gas cards. HOW ABOUT THAT GOVERNOR FOR A BUDGET CUT?

[Alfred E. Neuman]

Dear Confused State Worker: To be honest with you I don't understand your gripe. If you are a retired state employee who has returned back to the same job before you retired then you must be "double dipping" at the expense of the tax payer. Wish those of us that do not work for the goverment could do that. Those of us in the non-goverment sector no longer receive "retirement pay nor medical coverage". We have to depend on our 401k and medicair/medicaid. In other words, sounds to me like you have got the cat by the tail.