State Supreme Court order Gov Sanford to request stimulus money

[Tinabean]

I don't disagree that the Governor is probably working with a personal agenda that includes furthering his political career BUT...... I agree with a portion of what G-Man says....why would you continue down the same path that has been yielding poor results? That path is throwing more money at the SC Dept of Education with absolutely no idea how to spend it other than building new school buildings, paying teachers more and buying more computers. Again, NC and GA spend less money per student than SC with measurably better test scores and higher rates of matriculation. Don't continue to throw good money after bad until there is a workable strategic plan. Same with economic development in the state....if we are going to use that stimulus money, use it to develop and implement a strategic plan to bring more businesses into our state. Without building our tax base, we will not have the on-going funds to support any of the initiatives born from a one-time shot in the arm of stimulus funds. And no, I'm not being politically stubborn......I believe that state government is, essentially, a business and needs to be run as such.

[janrey]

Originally Posted by Tinabean

"Of course you would, this is federal money not state and will be paid for by EVERYONE who pays federal taxes regardless of what state you live in or whether or not your state took it just like you will be paying for the banking/auto bailouts. Whether or not one agrees or disagrees with the stimulus money, not taking it is foolish because you will pay for it whether it goes to SC or goes to Georgia or Vermont." -- I'm not certain it is as simple as janrey puts it. Perhaps it is but it was my understanding that the states have annual budget allocations from the FEDS. All states are not receiving (nor taking) all of the stimulus money offered. There are both utilization and repayment stipulations attached to the money. STATES will have to pay back the money to the FEDS in the future. Of course I know that our overall taxes will go up to cover the expenditures to shore up the banking and auto industries....that portion is correct, I believe. But the stimulus repayment will not work the same, as I understand it. If someone has a reliable source regarding how the stimulus funds are to be recovered by the FEDS, please post it.

If that were the case than Sanford would totally refuse it, not request it be used to pay down debt. Why pay down debt with more debt if the states have to pay back what they take? Yeah in a way the states have to pay it back because we as citizens will with an increase in federal taxes. Of course Obama says only the wealthy will see an increase but with all the money he's giving away that's unrealistic. The bailout to corporations has to be paid back but AFAIK the stimulus for education/jails/etc is to be paid back with increased taxes for all. If this were any other case then you can bet Sanford or his people would have said so. I tried at one point to read the stimulus package but it was so bloated with crap it was impossible to understand. Note that every politician who voted for or against never read it. Obama never read it.

ETA: From the IndependentMail

http://www.independentmail.com/news/...timulus-money/

Senator Billy O’Dell (R-Ware Shoals) said he didn’t agree with the way the federal government put limits on the way stimulus funds could be used, but that the governor should accept them.

“I was not in favor of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but, if we don’t take it we’re still going to have to repay the federal government as individuals,” O’Dell said. “If we don’t take the money, 49 other states will get the $700 million we’re refusing.”

And here is everything you may want to read http://www.recovery.gov/. I've found no mention of paying it back, only of meeting terms. Plus, this isn't a one year thing, it's over several years.

[Tinabean]

Hi Janrey. Rep to you for posting the links and additional information on the stimulus package. I'll dig into this and read more tonight after work. What a shame.......our legislators quickly pushed through a huge spending bill that will significantly affect each tax-paying US citizen and they didn't stop to read it through or position it so that we, as taxpayers, could easily understand the details? This is exactly how TOO BIG government exerts control over it's citizenry. They purposely make it complicated and convuluded so as to keep the masses confused or either folks give up trying to understand it all. We are not dumb people and we should never give up working to make our government accountable to US. They work for us ALL of the time...not just during election year.

[janrey]

Tinabean, exactly! I do not think any bill should be so big that no one has the inclination to read it thoroughly nor should it be marched through as quickly as this was. However, don't for a minute think that Sanford was truly concerned about the people. His only concern is his own political goals. Of course, he's not alone in this. Term limits are needed for the Senate, we have them for governors thankfully.

[Intergalactic]

Term limits would serve only to empower bureaucrats, unelected politicians like Jesse Jackson, and members of the media. It would make the US into Italy.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by myrc60

Read it here:
S.C. high court orders Sanford to accept money - Local / Metro - The State

Good.

Keep that snotball from playing politics with peoples' lives.

[Tinabean]

For what it's worth, I emailed the Governor's office and received a call back this week. Yes, indeed even if we had not taken the money we are responsible for repaying the money through INCREASED Federal taxes. The money would simply have been reappropriated elsewhere. Therefore, I agree. It was a purely insane political stunt the Governor pulled. It garnered him tons of attention for standing up against taxes while putting each one of us tax-paying citizens at risk for losing any small amount of benefit the money would bring while STILL having to bear the inevitable tax burden. I'm sorely disappointed and surprised at such a tactic. I say we vote EACH AND EVERY SINGLE politician out of office during the next eletions! I'm completely fed up with these rich, good-ole-boys in South CArolina. They do not represent our interests and we have to break their power grip on our state.

[myrc60]

How many terms can an SC governor hold? In 6 years I've never figured out the answer to that question. In Illinois they are unlimited.