Governor Ignores Three-Fourths of Budget in Lashing Senate

Gov. Nikki Haley's press conference earlier this week was strong on style and a bit short on substance.

S.C. Legislators Say 'No Agenda' on Trip to Turkey

Although South Carolina has a relatively small Turkish population and no major trade with Turkey,  eight S.C. senators apparently thought  it was important enough to go on a 10-day, all-expenses-paid trip to the Middle Eastern country last year.

‘Angel’ Incentives Would Duplicate 3 State Programs

A bill that has moved another step closer to passing would have the state subsidize early-stage venture capital investing on top of three existing programs that do more or less the same thing.

Phantom of the Legislative Session

The journal for the S.C. Senate shows the legislative body meeting on both May 10 and May 11 of this year. But the reality is that not a single senator was on hand in the Senate chamber either day.

Why the Michelin Man is Smiling in S.C.

The state and counties of Lexington and Anderson are doling out millions to Michelin North America for an $750 million expansion project that officials say will bring 500 jobs.

BCB OKs $21 Million More for Clemson Wind Turbine Center

Clemson gets OK to boost budget for wind turbine test facility by $21 million.

Freedom of Information Bill Faces Rocky Road in Senate

An S.C. House-passed bill to monumentally strengthen the state’s open-government law faces a precarious road in the Senate.

1,200 Hours to Be a Lawyer in S.C. … 1,500 Hours to Be a Barber?

It takes more schooling to become a barber in South Carolina than to pass law school.

Lancaster Citizen Reporter Queries Senator on State’s Growing Budget

Mary Atkinson of Lancaster recently posed questions regarding the state growing budget to state Sen. Greg Gregory, R-Lancaster.

House Panel Drops Ethics Case against Governor after House Changes Its Rules

The S.C. House last week danced a conspicuous ethics two-step, in what one State House watchdog describes as exactly the kind of bull pucky that makes taxpayers cynical about politicians and government.

USC Seeks Another $13.3 Million for Innovista

Plans by the University of South Carolina to move forward on a $26.8 million “upfit” for a building in USC’s star-crossed Innovista research campus have been delayed.

Greenville Citizen Reporter: Committee Chairmen Agree to Record Votes

Fourteen of 20 of the chairmen of key S.C. legislative committees have agreed to record votes taken at the committee and subcommittee levels, according to an Upstate transparency advocate.

House Axes Budget and Control Board in New Restructuring Plan

The S.C. House passed a counterproposal Wednesday to a Senate plan for restructuring state government, going much further than the House’s original blueprint and outstripping the Senate in some areas.

Hilton Head Citizen Reporter: Casino Proposal Gets Cool Reception from Some in Lowcountry

Citizen Reporter Tom Hatfield says a number of Hilton Head Island residents aren't crazy about the idea of a casino in nearby Jasper County.

Boeing Greased Its Landing in South Carolina

Even before Boeing announced plans to build in South Carolina, the aerospace company showed it knew how to play the political game.

Politics Threatens to Derail Restructuring

Causal and keen observers alike might have heard rumblings about expanding government bureaucracy, along with concerns about protecting the state’s credit rating. The facts, however, do not confirm alarms about those matters.

Another Top SCRA Executive to Depart

The S.C. Research Authority, beset by loss of top executives over the past two years, is losing Rick Self, president of SCRA Applied R&D, one of its most important divisions.

SCRA Spins Its Economic Impact

The S.C. Research Authority, a state-created and state-controlled technology and real estate company, left out the bad news in recently announcing its latest economic impact results.

Verifying Governor's Job Claims Remains Elusive

Gov. Nikki Haley continues to tout job announcements left and right, but it remains unclear how many of the positions are actually being created because no one in South Carolina state government wants to track whether companies follow through.

Francis Marion University Branches Out to … Ecuador?

Francis Marion University opens research station - in the Andes.

Columbia’s No Free Market Haven, Some Business Owners Say

Columbia city leaders spend too much time trying to pick winners and losers, rather than letting the market determine who's got the best product, some business owners say.

Legislature’s Watchdog Agency Lives on Bare-Bones Diet

Landmark legislation, which became law earlier this year, codified the creation of an inspector general’s office with broad powers in the executive branch of state government. But what about the General Assembly’s inspector general, the Legislative Audit Council?

Former SCRA Chairman: Turnover No Surprise

Former SCRA Chairman Bill Masters says problems at the agency are systemic.

Executive Turnover Hits SCRA

The S.C. Research Authority pays extremely well, but that hasn't helped it retain top executives.

House Pension Bill Protects Current Lawmakers

A House bill would allow current lawmakers to continue receiving their state pensions while remaining in office.

Governor, Former Lt. Governor Cases Highlight House Ethics Secrecy

A judge’s recent dismissal of an ethics lawsuit against Gov. Nikki Haley serves as yet another example of secrecy surrounding ethics matters in the S.C. House. So does the case of former Lt. Gov. Ken Ard, who pleaded guilty to seven campaign finance violations and resigned earlier this month.

Takings Bill Panned by Associations, Citizens

The bill caught the attention of the Rehabilitation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Buildings Act, caught the attention of the South Carolina Bankers Association, the Mortgage Bankers Association of the Carolinas, the South Carolina Association of Realtors, and the Municipal Association of South Carolina, along with citizens.

Takings Bills Worry Property Rights Supporters

Property rights advocates upset with takings bills.

Senate Clerk Still Mum on Budget Details

S.C. Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett apparently is in no mood to publicly discuss his chamber’s proposed $12 million-plus budget for next fiscal year.

Republicans Back Away from School Flexibility Bill

Bill to allow school districts to move up start of school year by one week runs into strong opposition - from legislator who claims to be pro-school choice.

Bill to Make Insurance Director Elected Post Gets Favorable Report

Bill to make insurance director elected post gets favorable report from a Senate subcommittee. 

Democrats Lay Out Ethics Reform Plan for S.C.

S.C. Democrats unveil ethics-reform package.

It's Wine and Rose at Charleston County Council meeting

Charleston County Council says things are looking up.

Advocates for Stronger FOIA Law Rally at State House

Proponents of bill to strengthen state's FOIA law rally at State House.

Legislation Looks to Take “Palmettovore” Program to Schools

Legislation would let school districts join program that puts S.C. produce and goods in schools.

Charleston Council Considers Funding Requests

Charleston County Council considered funding requests from three entities at its February 24, 2012, meeting.

Citizen Organizes Rally to Push for FOIA Bill

Citizen to hold rally in support of bill that would strengthen state's FOIA law.

Three SC Entities Win Transparency Awards

Aiken County, Anderson County and Pickens County School District were recognized by Sunshine Review for transparency efforts.

Grassroots' Organizations Call on State Leaders for 'Real Reform'

Grassroots activists takes lawmakers and the governor to task over Department of Administration bill.

Senate Passes DOT Transparency Bill

A bill to require the S.C. Department of Transportation to create and maintain an online database of all expenditures by the agency is halfway through the General Assembly.

Public Outcry Leads to Withdrawal of Lexington Blight Proposal

Lexington County Council has withdrawn a proposed ordinance that would have dictated the appearance of private property in the county.

Power Trip: The Legislature’s Double Standards on FOIA, Ethics and Spending

In South Carolina, there is one set of rules for state legislators, and another set of rules for everybody else – even state and local elected officials.

S.C. Legislature Uses Secrecy Law to Thwart Records Requests by Grassroots Groups

Grassroots groups pushing for more accountability and transparency in state government are running into a wall of secrecy in the S.C. General Assembly in trying to obtain legislative communications involving a controversial bill.

Lawmakers Look to Another Law in Bid to Curb Copper Theft

Lawmakers look to pass more legislation in an attempt to thwart the theft and illegal sale of copper and other nonferrous metals.

Obscure Program Revises Process, Accountability Remains Illusory

After three years of questions, the S.C. Lieutenant Governor's Office still cannot provide the legislative basis for the Senior Center Permanent Improvement Program.

Still No Sunshine on S.C. House, Senate Spending

The S.C. House and Senate continue to bypass the normal budgetary process when it comes to adopting annual budgets for the two chambers.

South Carolina’s $1.5 Billion Piggy Bank

The Nerve’s review of a 656-page document produced by the Office of State Budget, formally known as the “detailed base budget” and dubbed “the brick,” found that 99 state agencies, divisions and separate funds started this fiscal year on July 1 with a collective $1.498 billion surplus in “other” funds.

20 Senators Support Bill to End Budget Shell Game

Anytime anyone pays a fee or a fine to a state agency it traces to this game, and it involves a huge chunk of the state budget – about $7.8 billion in the current fiscal year.

Lawmaker Aims to Strengthen State’s Open Government Law

South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act may soon be getting more enforcement teeth.

Charleston Council Passes Short-Term Rental Ordinance

Charleston City Council gave a final reading to an ordinance creating a short-term Rental Overlay District in the city.

The Search for a Joint Open Session on the Budget

The fruitless quest for a joint legislative open session on the budget.

More Lawmakers Supporting Independence for Legislative Ethics

A third bill has been introduced to put the kibosh on ethics self-policing in the S.C. General Assembly, and the effort is now bipartisan.

Provisos: Legislators’ Earmarks – and Why They Love Them

Lots of politicians rail against federal earmarks in Congress, but the S.C. General Assembly has its own version of earmarks and many of them represent the very same kind of special-interest, pork-barrel spending.

Hundreds of Thousands Spent Annually Wining and Dining S.C. Lawmakers

An investigation by The Nerve found that several hundred thousand dollars likely will be spent before June wining and dining state lawmakers. A plethora of private organizations and public agencies host the events in an effort to get legislators’ ears – and ultimately, their votes – for the groups’ pet issues.

Senate Bill Seeks to Make Top Insurance Post an Elected Position

A Grand Strand legislator wants the state’s director of insurance to be an elected position, rather than one appointed by the governor.

Secret Budget Process Continues in S.C. General Assembly

The S.C. House and Senate typically release their respective chamber budgets months after most other state agencies do so, allowing lawmakers to quietly increase their own budgets with little public scrutiny.

Clemson Sustainability Program in Line for $445,000 in State Funds

The S.C. Commission on Higher Education got approval from the Joint Other Funds Oversight Committee on Jan. 19 to present a request to the Office of State Budget for $445,240 for Clemson’s “Endowed Chair in Sustainable Development,” part of the SmartState program.

Guv’s Office, Commerce Can’t Produce Job-Creation Records

Despite glowing job announcements over the past year, neither Gov. Nikki Haley nor the S.C. Department of Commerce can produce records showing the number of actual jobs created to date.

Charleston Council Changes Citizen Participation Guidelines

Charleston County Council citizen participation session to begin before council meeting.

Changes and Evaluation Likely Coming to Lt. Governor’s Office

A proposal that has passed the S.C. House would change the election and responsibilities of the state’s lieutenant governor at the same time lawmakers are questioning the effectiveness of a state office that has faced much controversy in recent years.

Lawmakers Seek to Regulate Yet Another Profession

Sen. Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, has filed a bill that would create a music therapy board, place the board under the oversight of the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, and prohibit the practice of music therapy without a license.

Barber Claims HIV Spread by Unclean Razors

A barber claims HIV is spread by unclean razors while appearing before a S,C, Senate subcommittee that was looking at the idea of deregulating the cosmetology industry in S.C.

S.C. House Stands Alone in Shadow of Ethics Secrecy

Members of the S.C. House are the only state or local elected officials in South Carolina who remain wrapped in a cloak of ethics secrecy as this year’s legislative session begins.

Charleston Council Appears to Have Resolved I-526 Issue

Charleston County Council appears to have resolved I-526 issue.

Boeing Not a ‘Public Body,’ Federal Judge Rules

Despite receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer-backed incentives from South Carolina, aerospace giant Boeing is not a public body under the state’s whistleblower law, a federal judge has ruled.

Cost of Haley’s Special Session Bid Unclear; Right Remains Intact

The S.C. Supreme Court ruled in early June that Gov. Nikki Haley lacked the authority to call legislators back into session while they were on a break between the regular session and an already scheduled special session, saying her order violated the separation of powers. Today, more than six months after the Supreme Court nixed Haley’s bid to get legislators to return, it’s still not clear what the effort cost South Carolina taxpayers.

Short-Term Rentals Again an Issue for Charleston Council

Short-term rentals an issue for Charleston City Council.

S.C. State Gets an ‘Incomplete’ on Budget Request

South Carolina State, already under scrutiny for alleged financial mismanagement related to millions of dollars earmarked for the James E. Clyburn University Transportation Center, appears to have dropped the ball by incorrectly filling out a request for $36 million to renovate a pair of structures.

Charleston Council Defers Business License Expansion

Charleston Council defers business-license issue.

LLR Report Clarifies Position on Deregulating Auctioneering

The S.C. Auctioneers’ Commission isn’t in danger of being dismantled – as was recommended by one state agency not too long ago – but the time is ripe for deregulating the industry, according to a recent report.

Not all in Agreement on Plan for College of Charleston Dorm

The Charleston County Board of Architectural Review recently gave conceptual approval for a new College of Charleston dormitory plan.

Charleston Council Moves Forward on Rental Housing Issue

The Charleston City Council ignored the decision by the Planning Commission and voted Dec. 20 to allow short-term housing rentals in the city’s commercial-zoned districts.

Eckstrom Questions Timing of Sale of State-Owned Land

Comptroller General Eckstrom argues during the Dec. 15 Budget and Control Board meeting that a proposal to sell a piece of property owned by the S.C. Department of Transportation should be carried forward, given real estate market conditions.

Charleston County Council Agrees on Redistricting Plan

It’s unlikely any of the various redistricting plans being floated will make each and every citizen happy, so it’s not surprising complaints were voiced at the Dec. 6 Charleston County Council meeting.

Fate of I-526 Extension Project Remains Unsettled

Individuals who turned out for the Dec. 6 Charleston County Council meeting expecting some resolution of the I-526 extension issue went away disappointed.

Charleston County Council Agrees on Redistricting Plan

Charleston Council agrees on redistricting plan.

Still No Resolution in Sight on I-526 Extension

Still no resolution on I-526 for Charleston County Council.

Pearson: No Quid Pro Quo with Georgia

Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, asks Gov. Nikki Haley's chief of staff Tim Pearson if there was a quid pro quo arrangement between South Carolina and Georgia regarding the Savannah and Jasper ports.

Additional Details of SCRA Lending Revealed; Legality in Question

Some South Carolina banks have had a tough go over the past few years. Hit hard by the ongoing economic downturn, no fewer than seven state financial institutions have been closed by regulators since 2009, while several others have been placed under regulatory-enforcement actions of one sort or another.

Additional Details of SCRA Lending Revealed; Legality in Question

The S.C. Research Authority approved nearly $1 million in loans to five separate entities – including a consortium created by some of the biggest entities in the state and an alternative-fuel vehicle manufacturer eligible for tens of millions of dollars in state incentives – during fiscal year 2011 alone.

Charleston Council Approves Plan Related to Major Development

The Charleston County Council’s Dec. 6 meeting agenda included a request by the city of North Charleston for approval to proceed with a bond issue to be financed from the creation of Tax Increment Financing District (TIF).

Charleston Council Approves Plan Related to Major Development

The Charleston County Council’s Dec. 6 meeting agenda included a request by the city of North Charleston for approval to proceed with a bond issue to be financed from the creation of Tax Increment Financing District.

Haley Staffer Faces Senate Panel on DHEC Permit Issue

Tim Pearson, chief of staff for Gov. Nikki Haley, is questioned by members of a Senate panel Dec. 8 regarding a water quality permit for the dredging of the Savannah River.

Making Sense of SC Launch Numbers No Easy Task

Questions still remain after the S.C. Research Authority responded to an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request for information on how its affiliate SC Launch spent approximately $18 million in state money over the past three years.

Making Sense of SC Launch Numbers No Easy Task

Questions still remain after the S.C. Research Authority responded to an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request for information on how its affiliate SC Launch spent approximately $18 million in state money over the past three years.

Senator Grills Haley Chief of Staff on DHEC Permit

Sen. Joel Lourie, D-Richland, questions Gov. Nikki Haley's chief of staff Tim Pearson on whether the governor attempted to influence the DHEC board to grant a permit to allow the expansion of a Georgia port.

Court System Raking in Fees, Accumulating Millions in Reserves

The S.C. Judicial Depatment over the years has been able to build up millions in reserves with fees imposed on those who use the state court system, The Nerve found in a review of state records.

Legislators Exempt Themselves from Sunshine Law They Created

The state's open-records law for more than 30 years has shielded the S.C. General Assembly from releasing documents showing what it does behind the scenes.

Court System Raking in Fees, Accumulating Millions in Reserves

Charleston Auditor Takes Questions, Provides Few Answers

Legislators: Law on Budget Process has been Ignored

Legislature Again Ignores Budget Law

Charleston Council Asks 'Where's the Property Tax Bills?'

State Agencies Cry Poverty While Amassing Large Surpluses

South Carolina’s 33 public colleges and universities collectively amassed nearly $900 million in “unrestricted” assets – generally surplus money that can be spent on anything – as of June 30, according to year-end financial statements reviewed by The Nerve.

Charleston Considers Consolidation Question

Commerce Pay Incentives Nab Big Part Share of BCB's Attention

Yates: District Not Forthcoming With Responses

Speaking during the public participation portion of the Oct. 24 Lexington-Richland School District 5 board meeting, retiree Ed Yates expresses his frustration with district officials regarding his attempts to get answers on questions concerning district spending.

Yates says all he’s been doing is asking questions about how some of the district money has been spent, but he feels the district has not been forthcoming with its responses.

District 5: Let Taxpayers Look Up Data Themselves

When Lexington-Richland School District 5 Chief Financial Officer Karl Fulmer is asked if the district's online check registers can be made easier to read by using account names instead of 15-digit codes, he says the district is only required to publish its check registers.

Afterward, board member Ed White says that since the district recently posted information on its website explaining how expenditures are categorized by code, District 5 constituents can go look up the information for themselves.

District 5 Officials Balk at Adding Information to Check Registers

More Questions Arise Regarding Program that Won’t Die

More questions on Senior Center Permanent Improvement Program.

Certified SC Grown – Not Always What It Seems

Certified SC grown is not always what is seems.

Can S.C.’s FOIA Law Be Strengthened?

Commerce, DMV: Information is Power, and It’ll Cost You, Too

$270M Taxpayer-Funded Gift to Boeing Properly Spent, Commerce Chief Says

Aerospace giant Boeing properly spent $270 million in S.C. taxpayer-backed bond proceeds given to the Chicago-based company for its North Charleston assembly plant, state Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt said in a letter obtained Thursday by The Nerve.

Lawmaker State Plane Travel: Frequent Frivolous Miles

The Nerve’s review of Aeronautics Commission flight logs and manifests, or passenger lists, shows that from Jan. 1, 2010, through the end of last month, legislators collectively have approved at least 29 state plane trips for themselves, staff members or others to destinations in and outside South Carolina.

The Boeing Incentives Deal: More Secrecy, Lack of Accountability

The Boeing Co. isn't required by the state to verify that the $270 million in taxpayer-backed bonds it received for its North Charleston plant was properly spent.

LLR Mum on Auctioneering Board About-Face

Midlands Lawmakers Still Milking Subsistence Cow

A review by The Nerve of state House and Senate expense records, obtained under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act, found that from the start of last year through August of this year, 23 Richland or Lexington County legislators living within 25 miles of the State House have received subsistence payments equal to or greater than payments to lawmakers who live farther away.

Incentives Transparency Bill Looks Promising Next Session

Still No Sign of $460M Incentive-Backed AQT Solar

More than eight months after a small, young California company announced it would locate a $460 million solar-cell manufacturing plant in Richland County, creating a purported 1,000 jobs over four years, the massive building it’s supposed to go in remains empty.

An $85,000 “Learning” Trip for Richland 2 Principals

Nearly All S.C. School Districts Have Check Registers Online

Councilman King on Irmo and Transparency

Governor’s Job Numbers: Lots of Hype, Unanswered Questions

Isle of Palms Land-Purchase Plan Voted Down

DOT Year-End Surpluses Plunge by $217 Million

Septima Clark Project Financing Appears Risky

Greenbelt Fund Application Creates Fuss in Charleston

New Carolina: Full of Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing

State Financial Meeting Closed to the Public, Media

Lobbyist-Relative of S.C. Congressman Paid Well by Charleston

Show Me the Money: Finance Officials Differ on State Budget

SCRA Said To Be ‘Cleansing’ its Wikipedia Page

Wikipedia, the free web-based collaborative encyclopedia project that encourages public input on articles, identified the S.C. Research Authority as the location of an Internet protocol address that had earlier this week repeatedly deleted information unfavorable to the state agency.

Temporary Ban on Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying Passes

It Pays to Be a Hilton Head Government Worker

Darlington Raceway Gets $114,000 State Tax Break

Politician Justifies Secret Nature of Eco Devo Deals

BCB Handles Public Relations Work for Private Business

By all accounts, Midlands BioFuels is an alternative fuels success story. The Winnsboro company produces 25,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel a month from waste vegetable oil, and while it has received some government support since its inception, Midlands BioFuels is profitable and would be even without government largesse, co-founder Joe Renwick says.

SCRA Paid Nearly $4 Million in Bonuses during 2008-10

The South Carolina Research Authority paid out more than $1.44 million in bonuses to 50 individuals for the 12-month period ending Oct. 23, 2010, the most current data available.

Moore: Why S.C. Needed to Offer Incentives to Amazon

Legislature Passes Higher Ed Transparency Bill

Veto on Sprawling Capital Reserve Fund Overridden

Lexington 1 Spending Ranks Low Among S.C. Districts

Tacked-on Issue Imperils Higher Ed Transparency Bill

A college spending transparency bill is just one vote shy of passing the General Assembly. But as the legislation nears the finish line, some lawmakers have started voicing objections about an entirely different issue that has been piggybacked onto it.

Lexington OKs Incentives for Interstate Container

SCRA Intransigence Highlights State's FOIA Flaws

More than half a year after The Nerve submitted an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request to the state agency charged with developing South Carolina’s “knowledge-based economy,” officials with the S.C. Research Authority say they’re ready to comply.

Charleston Council Makes No Progress on I-526 Issue

Richland 2 Adds $1,000 Bonus for Teacher Attendance

For more than a year, Richland School District 2 officials have failed to follow a state law directing it to post the spending details of its budget online, arguing that it will not do so until it receives funding from the state.

Cobb-Hunter: Voter ID Not Needed

Wrap-Up Session Includes Higher Ed Transparency Bill

Cobb-Hunter explains Amazon vote

After Nerve Story, Higher Ed Transparency Bill Revived

A bill requiring South Carolina’s state-supported colleges and universities to report their spending online has risen from the dead and looks like it might pass today – the last day of this year’s regular legislative session.

Viers: Voter ID Makes Sense

Legislators Show Lack of SCRA Knowledge

If South Carolinians were asked in a poll to explain what the S.C. Research Authority is, the vast majority of them probably would be unable to do so.

Bill Seeks Disclosure of Amazon-Like “Promises”

Charleston Council Finally Adopts Redistricting Plan

Viers on the Purpose of Government

Bosch Project Brings $12M-Plus Taxpayer Tab

Paper Trail Scarce Regarding SCRA Chair Selection

While the S.C. Research Authority may cloak itself in an air of mystery, there’s little doubt that state leaders have attached significant importance to the agency’s role in developing the state’s “knowledge economy.”

I-73 Study Called into Question by Some

Davis: Time to Look at 'Other Funds'

Only Two S.C. School Districts Don’t Post Finances

Only Lexington 1 and Richland 2 have failed to post their check registers on the Internet. And Lexington 1 is in the process of purchasing a new software program and plans to upload its check registers once the new system is in place this summer.

House Bill Would Limit Santee Cooper Pay Hikes

Temperatures Rise at Charleston Redistricting Meeting

New Debt Proposed for School Districts

Higher Ed Spending Transparency Bill Likely Dead – Again

Legislation requiring South Carolina’s state-supported colleges and universities to post their spending online looks like it might die in the General Assembly this year.

Union Pier Forum Fails to Find Common Ground

Senator Eyes Budget Cuts, Tax Refunds

S.C. Sen. Tom Davis wants to cut next year’s proposed state budget by at least $149 million and have that money refunded to South Carolina taxpayers. The senator’s proposed cuts and rebates could be twice that amount, or closer to $300 million, based on calculations he attributes to Senate Finance Committee staff.

Secrecy Abounds in Incentives Deals

SCRA Extends Tentacles into High Finance

SCRA is moving into high finance.

S.C. Research Authority's FOIA Fail

SCRA has gone more than 140 days without fulfilling an S.C. Freedom of Information Act request.

SCRA Chair Sets Departure Date, Slams Agency

SCRA chairman slams agency in resignation letter.

Masters Sounds Concerns on SCRA in E-Mail

Outgoing S.C. Research Authority Chairman Bill Masters continues to sound a steady drumbeat of concern regarding the state-created agency.

Monday, he sent out an e-mail questioning the direction of the agency, touching on a number of different issues, including the veracity of data provided by SCRA top management to board trustees, high management salaries, SCRA’s accounting practices and whether it funds jobs that go to other states.

SCRA Now Hiring – But Mostly Out of State

Call it mission creep or a basic misunderstanding of the mission, but the S.C. Research Authority – created nearly 30 years ago in part to boost employment in South Carolina – would appear at present to be doing more good for the Missouri Ozarks than the Palmetto State.

House Ethics Fines: Lack of Transparency?

Nearly $22,000 in ethics fines is sitting in a special S.C. House account, though the House Ethics Committee chairman says he doesn’t know who paid the fines.

Rep. Roland Smith, R-Aiken, told The Nerve last week that the fines stemmed from late filings of required ethics forms by current or former House members, or House candidates. But when asked by The Nerve for a list of those who have been fined over the past several years, Smith at first said he couldn’t provide it.

Chair Blasts SCRA in Resignation Letter, Report

S.C. Research Authority Chairman Bill Masters’ resignation letter to Gov. Nikki Haley, submitted earlier this month, contains an accompanying report that paints a damning picture of the agency charged with leading South Carolina’s knowledge-based economy.

According to the eight-page report sent to Haley and obtained by The Nerve, Masters states that "SCRA has evolved over the past five years from a scientific research organization into a political organization using its core competency of data and information manipulation to market itself and benefit top management and its allies."

Bills Would Restructure Budget and Control Board

The S.C. Budget and Control planned to meet this morning in a spacious new abode, abandoning the board’s former pint-sized meeting venue after The Nerve exposed the inadequacy of the old location in several stories beginning in July.

Legislative Site Again Allows For Recording

The capability to record Internet live streaming of the S.C. House and Senate when the chambers are in session apparently is back, at least temporarily.

Legislative Site Gains Features, Loses Recording

A funny thing happened on the way to the S.C. General Assembly’s website getting redesigned between the end of the 2010 legislative session and the beginning of this year’s session earlier this month.

Two significant additions were made to the site, scstatehouse.gov, in the off-session. The upgrades provide greater transparency to the Legislature’s business and make the site more user friendly.

Big Change: Senate Passes Ethics Reform

On Tuesday, in a victory for transparency and accountability, the S.C. Senate changed its operating rules to significantly strengthen the chamber’s roll call voting requirements.

SCRA Executives Took Home $50k-$90k in Bonuses

As South Carolina’s budget woes have worsened over the past couple of years, many state agencies have cut back, leaving unfilled positions vacant, curtailing raises and, in some cases, laying off employees.

Roll Call Voting Up to Senate - Again

Written by: Erick Ward

                    Citizen Reporter

Bill Would Cap Payouts to School Superintendents

In March 2009, the Marlboro County School Board in a split vote approved buying out then-Superintendent’s Alisa Goodman’s contract for $400,000, throwing in another $10,000 to cover her attorney fees, according to published reports.

Budget Secrecy Is Tradition at S.C. Legislature

As the S.C. General Assembly begins its 119th legislative session this week, the two chambers are maintaining a tradition of secrecy about their own operating budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.

The Nerve on Dec. 6 submitted requests under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act to House Clerk Charles Reid and Senate Clerk Jeffrey Gossett for their proposed chamber budgets for next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Handful of Districts Hold Out on Transparency

All but four of South Carolina’s 85 school districts – Dillon 2, Lexington 1, Orangeburg 4 and Richland 2 – have posted their check registers online.

House Disclosure Statements Reveal Big Incomes

S.C. Rep. Greg Delleney earned nearly $478,000 in legal fees in 2009 representing injured workers before the state Workers’ Compensation Commission, income disclosure records show.

State Agencies’ Budgets Grew in FY 10

Bill Proposes Transparency in Incentives

Boeing Seeks Early Christmas Gift From S.C.

Masters Calls for Investigation of SCRA Chief

SCRA chairman calls for independent investigation of agency.

Swansea Audit Shows Significant Problems

Amid Recession, S.C. Senate Staff Gets Pay Raise

A nearly $5 million budget increase this year for the S.C. Senate is helping to cover pay raises for Senate staffers, despite assertions by leaders of the chamber that the money was needed for other, pressing concerns.

Politicians and Flags Go Hand in Hand

House Salary Increases: Smoke and Mirrors

Legislature Generous to Itself, Staff

Divisive Plan Scuttled by Investment Commission

Millions at Stake in Retirees' Suit

Secrecy Shrouds Retirement Proposal

Newberry Officials Say Penny Tax Vital

Medical Supply Industry Targeted

Newberry Slows Sale of County Retirement Home

How Tuition Helps Bankroll Construction

Restructuring Panel Off to Slow Start

SCRA Baits and Switches on Pay Hikes

Swansea Continues to Drag Feet on FOIA Request

Retirement Plan Raises Questions

Lt. Gov Bauer Paid From Two Taxpayer Pots

Besides his salary as lieutenant governor, Andre Bauer has been paid thousands more is his role as the Senate president.

Midlands Lawmakers Feasting on Subsistence

Republican S.C. Sen. Jake Knotts of West Columbia lives less than 10 miles from the State House in downtown Columbia.

Democratic state Rep. Joe Neal’s home in Hopkins is only about 16 miles from the state Capitol.

Yet an analysis by The Nerve of legislative records found that the two veteran Midlands lawmakers were among 26 current or former Richland or Lexington County legislators who received a total of at least $500,000 over a 2.5-year period in “subsistence” payments.

Legislators Get an Average 32K Per Year

Taxpaying South Carolinians, if your state lawmaker looks you in the face and says his or her legislative salary is a lowly $10,400, he or she is not telling you the whole story.

At the very least.

At worst, a member of the General Assembly poor mouthing to that effect without mentioning several other forms of compensation legislators pocket would be downright disingenuous.

Exclusive: Lawmakers Cost Taxpayers Millions

The S.C. Legislature is no cheap date for taxpayers.

From Jan. 1, 2008, through this past July 31, state taxpayers shelled out at least $14.8 million to cover salaries and expenses for 202 current or former House and Senate members, The Nerve found in a review of records from each chamber, obtained under the S.C. Freedom of Information Act.

Newberry Looks to Sell County Nursing Home

Norman Calls for Open Meeting to Pick Speaker

SCRA Board OKs Pay Hike, Not Transparency

Swansea Residents Seek Answers on Grant Money

Probe Reveals $3 Billion Gap in 'Other' Funds

State Agencies Grow Despite Budget Cuts

Online Register Upsets Some on Kershaw Board

Welvista Treated Well by S.C. Legislature

Wasden: Swansea Still Thwarting Quest for Info

Pick a Board, Any Board (S.C. Has Plenty)

SLC Donors Spent Heavily On Lobbying

Some Bills More Than Meet The Eye

BCB Members Consider New Meeting Space

Session Had Special-Interest, Weird Bills

Law, Lobbying Firms Pay for Conference

BCB Fund Raid Illegal, Clyburn Says

TRAC Lets Boeing Keep Tax Breaks

Most School Districts Have Put Check Registers Online

Failed Budget Bet Puts State In Fiscal Vise

Calhoun, Dillon Counties Add Government Websites

Senate to Take Up Remaining Budget Vetoes

Sanford Succeeds in Shaking Up BCB

Nonprofits Cheer Defeat of Economic Incentives Bill

How the S.C. Senate Gave Itself a $4 Million Raise

S.C. School Districts Short on Transparency

More Than 50 Budget Vetoes Upheld by House

Lawmakers Back Breaks for Insurance Group

Legislature Budgets Money S.C. Doesn't Have

Political Tit-for-Tat Puts Crime Bill in Jeopardy

Miley Study Touts Boeing Incentives

Roll-Call Voting Bill Fizzles in Senate

Would Sanford Veto Local Retail Subsidies?

State Panel Approves $4.1 Million More for Innovista

Firms’ Decisions Show Incentives Not Necessary

Got A Problem? Create A State Agency

House, Senate Ethics Panels Avoid Sunlight

Santee Cooper Raises Salaries of Top Executives

Digging Out of $98 Million Hole

Legislators Waste Time Debating Heritage Animals

USC Trustees Fail to Pony Up for Moore School Challenge

It’s ‘Me First’ for Legislators Come Budget Time

Saving Children or Fleecing Taxpayers?

Act 388 Creates 'Perfect Storm' in Dorchester

Aiken Officials Don't Know What it Costs to Run City

SCRA: Key Player in Proposed State Agency

Embattled Judge in Legal Limbo

Legislative Budgets Play Shell Game with Medicaid

A Look at S.C.’s Top 10 Agency Heads by Salary

District 5 Discussing Another Bond Issue

Going Rogue: DHEC Fights Cabinet Status

Senators Seek Alternatives to Roll-Call Voting

Senate Passes Bills in Phantom Session

S.C. Senate: Charity Starts at Home

Assuming the budget passed Thursday by the full Senate mirrors an earlier version approved by the Senate Finance Committee, it would be the 46-member chamber’s largest-ratified budget in at least the past 12 years, according to a review by The Nerve of ratified state budgets since fiscal year 1998, the most recent data available

House Panel Undercuts Input on Sembler Bill

S.C. Colleges Continue to Resist Transparency

S.C. DSS Fails Federal Child Welfare Standards

Fee Hikes: Saving Courts or Fleecing Taxpayers?

Report: State Pension Plan Among Worst-Funded

DHEC Notifies More than 1,800 in Data Breach

SCRA: Innovation Centers Unfunded Mandate

Boeing Bonds to Cost Taxpayers $362 Million

Amid Recession, State Agencies Adding Staff

Lawmakers Turning Their Backs on Roll-Call Voting

More Government Hands in S.C. Economy

A 15-member committee controlled by the Legislature would dole out taxpayer money to promote economic development in 17 counties in the Lowcountry and Pee Dee under a state Senate bill.

House Budget Worsens State’s Funding Cliff

Boundary Funding: Good Idea, Bad Timing

SLED Report Provides Answers on DHEC Records

Half-Billion Dollar Gap in State Budget

Columbia Council Declines to Seek Forensic Audit

Is S.C. Poised to Enter New Incentives Waters?

Proterra Deal to Cost Tens of Millions to Taxpayers

South Carolina and Greenville County taxpayers won’t be getting any magic carpet rides with the construction of the Proterra electric- and hybrid-powered bus assembly plant in Greenville.

EngenuitySC Reaps Public Funds, Shows Little Return

EngenuitySC Nets Nice Payout for 2009 Convention

Richland Co.: Yes to Tax Hikes, No Personnel Cuts

DHEC Notifying Potential Victims in Records Case

Hydrogen Still Sacred Despite Core Cuts

Golf Proviso: Lawmakers Mum on Details

Airline Subsidies: Unfriendly Skies for Taxpayers

Moore School Match Figures Raise Questions

S.C. To Pay Millions in Tobacco Money Battle

Bauer’s Office Awards No-Bid TV/Film Work

Sembler Giveaway: School Money to be Siphoned

McConnell Seeks End Around on Patriots Point

Two S.C. Web Sites Lauded for Transparency

Dorchester Judge Under Fire on Foreclosure Case

CCU Golf Course: $3 Million Taxpayer-Funded Whiff

Davis: Sembler Attorneys Tried to Hire Me

Lawmakers Look to Push Bass Pro Bill Again

Budget Provisos and Pass-Throughs – A Primer

Sembler Opponents: South Carolina Not for Sale

Gaston Leader No Fan of Transparency

Officials Continue Playing Hydrogen Shell Game

District 5: Home of the $136K Teacher

Commerce Eyes Control of Research Program

The initial version of the 50-page "Economic Development Competitiveness Act" bill, introduced in January by S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, gave the Commerce secretary control over one-third, or $10 million, of the annual $30 million in lottery money earmarked for the S.C. Centers of Economic Excellence, also known as the endowed professor chairs program.

DHEC Mum on Mishandled Records

Legislators Push For Retail Incentives

DHEC Records Found in Recycling Bin

SC Entities Dish Out Dollars in Boeing Tribute

Boeing to Get Another Taxpayer-Funded Gift

High-Priced Help at the State House

South Carolina taxpayers will shell out nearly $6.5 million this fiscal year for top-paid state House and Senate staffers.

Lawmakers’ Misdeeds Often Escape Scrutiny

Stimulus and S.C. Teacher Jobs - Checking the Facts

Law Lets Senators Keep Magistrates in Limbo

Web Site Lets S.C. Keep Eye on Stimulus

Santee Cooper: Powering S.C. and Paying Well

Legislative Role in Judicial Screening Questioned

Incentives Finalized in Boeing Sweetheart Deal

Gaston: The Land that Transparency Forgot

Taxpayers Pony Up for State Museum

Job Development Credits: Taxpayer-Funded Payouts

Sembler Incentives Focus of Council Meeting

The State's Secret $7 Billion Budget

SCPC, Sembler Officials to Speak in Beaufort

10 Reasons to Hate New Carolina's Report

New Carolina: Lots of Talk, Few Results

BEA Chief: Sembler Likely to Shift, Not Boost, Sales

Ryberg Again Tries to Block Sembler Subsidies

Look for More Growth at Clemson

Heritage Study Adds to Waste

Lottery Helps Legislature, Colleges Fleece Students

Sembler Tax Break Slows; Maybank Focus Grows

Top SCRA Execs See Salaries Spike

Columbia Cuts Commercial Garbage Pickup

Bauer’s Transparency Initiative a Bit Opaque

Report: ESC Failed to Avert Disaster

Anatomy of an Incentives Deal

Boeing Numbers Game: Studies Don't Match Up

Number of Higher-Paid County Employees Rising

S.C.’s Unemployment Train Wreck

S.C. Supreme Court: Lack of Accountability

State Prints Tanzanian Texts as Schools Struggle

Agency PR Flaks Promote Their Bosses

Private Email and Public Business: Anything Goes

Retaining E-Mails Hit-and-Miss Proposition in S.C.

S.C. Tax Dollars Flow to Federal Lobbyists

Failed Companies: Money Down the Drain

Secrecy Shrouds Boeing and Other Deals

No. That’s often the favorite word of state and local government officials when asked to reveal details of taxpayer-funded incentives given to businesses.

Report: S.C. Short on Transparency

Boeing’s 'A' Team: Turned to Power Brokers

Boeing relied on some Palmetto State powerbrokers to negotiate for a state incentives package valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.

New Boeing Jobs: Hype and Hope

Boeing workers share their views on one of the biggest-announced industrial projects in state history.

The Okatie-Boeing Connection

Okatie Developer No Stranger to Controversy

Many South Carolinians may not recognize the name of the man associated with the controversial Okatie Crossings development project, but don’t underestimate his influence – or ability to generate controversy.

Part 3: The Truth on Senate Claims About Boeing

Many of the claims by Senate leaders about the Boeing incentives deal were misleading.

Boeing Bond Deal: A $400 Million Taxpayer Tab

For the next 15 years, South Carolina taxpayers will be paying back nearly $400 million in bonds, including interest, for the new Boeing assembly plant in North Charleston.

Part 2: The Boeing Deal: Big Bill To Taxpayers

What S.C. lawmakers didn’t reveal in October 2009 when they rushed through an economic incentives package for Boeing was that it will cost state taxpayers tens of millions of dollars – and possibly several hundred million – more than what was said in the official record.

Agency PR Flaks Promote Their Bosses