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On
Jan. 9, 2009, S.C. Statehouse Report outlined 11 sweeping South
Carolina policy objectives to provide lawmakers with a guide of
how it could make significant changes for the people of the state.
From the original proposal for the Palmetto Priorities:
"If
you don’t have a policy map for where you want to be headed,
you will flounder in proposal after proposal. Therefore, today
we highlight 11 broad continuing objectives for state legislators
to consider and use as a bipartisan guide to creating a better
South Carolina."
Here
is our list of Palmetto
Priorities:
-
JOBS.
Develop a Cabinet-level post dedicated to adding and retaining
10,000 small business jobs per year. Politicians talk about
helping small businesses. This would force them to.
-
EDUCATION.
Cut
the state’s dropout rate in half by 2015.
-
HEALTH
CARE.
Increase the cigarette tax to $1 per pack and use revenues to
maximize federal health care matching funds. With all of the
health problems in South Carolina, it makes no sense to leave
any federal matching money off the table.
-
HEALTH
CARE. Ensure
affordable and accessible health care that optimizes preventive
care for every South Carolinian by 2015. The federal government
may develop a national solution, but we’ve been hearing
that for years. The state needs to solve the problem here.
-
ENVIRONMENT.
Adopt a state energy policy that requires energy producers to
generate 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by
2020. If such a goal were established, lawmakers could implement
an array of conservation and renewable energy policies to change
the state’s energy course.
-
TAXES.
By 2012, remove special interest sales tax exemptions that are
outdated for the state’s 21st Century economy. Special-interest
tax breaks cost the state more than $1.5 billion in revenue
every year. The state should review exemptions and get rid of
ones that no longer are needed.
-
TAXES.
Reform and stabilize the tax structure by 2012 after following
an overall nonpartisan review that seriously considers reimplementation
of reasonable property taxes.
-
ELECTIONS.
Increase voter registration to 75 percent by 2015 by restructuring
the state’s election, reducing voting barriers and making
it easier for all to vote.
-
CORRECTIONS.
Reduce the prison population by 25 percent by 2020 through creative
alternative sentencing programs for non-violent offenders.
-
ROADS.
Strengthen all bridges and upgrade all state roads by 2015 through
creative highway financing and maintenance programs.
-
POLITICS.
Have a vigorous two- or multi-party political system of governance.
Send
us your thoughts on these objectives. Better yet -- let your
legislator know they're important to you.
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