Politicians at Their Finest

Back before Thanksgiving, on Wednesday, November 14, 2007 to be exact, I was invited to a public forum that had been initiated by a SC Senate Subcommittee that was being held at 6:30 at Baxter Hood in Rock Hill, SC. This subcommittee was seeking public comment from taxpayers regarding state spending. I had been encouraged by several people interested in state politics to attend. It was my understanding there was a push to get tax payers to be vocal regarding unreasonable spending by our state government. So, being interested in what happens in Columbia, my husband and I attended. More out of an interest in hearing what other tax payers had to say than anything else.

Boy, were we surprised (not pleasantly) after arriving at this hearing and listening to speakers provide comment to this panel of legislators. Everyone who had signed up to speak seemed to be on someone’s payroll that had their hand out for more tax payer dollars. All of them wanted to make darn sure that spending was not curtailed; in fact, many wanted to make sure that spending was increased. My husband and I sat there in amazement and wondered; where are the taxpayers?

What really got my goat was listening to Walter Brown, a long time RH School Board member and a Clover School Board member, stand before that committee and talk about how the school district can no longer generate local tax dollars to fund their schools. All their money now comes from Columbia and how they need the SC General Assembly to continue shoveling money their direction. By their account, and countless others from the City of Rock Hill and other government recipients of tax dollars, now is not the time to curtail spending.

So what’s a mother and father of three who both work extremely hard and pay a gracious plenty in tax to do? You shove those hands looking for a hand out, out of the way and speak on behalf of hard working South Carolinians who are tired of the state taking $ out of their pockets.

This is where things get interesting. Little ole me, gets up there to address the subcommittee dressed very casually because I had had no previous intentions of speaking. I was merely going to sit in the back and listen quietly. Well, I told the committee how utterly disappointed I was that this forum had become a forum for other entities, both private and public, to ask for more spending, rather than a forum for tax payers. I provided them with an example of how well some of these entities, like the RH School District, spend their money. They use their $ (which SURPLUS $) to the tune of almost 2 million dollars on a Jumbotron and astro turf for a football stadium. Mind you, this stadium has been in existence for 20+ years without the benefit of astro turf or a jumbotron. The decision was made against public outcry not to spend this $ in this fashion. I went on to explain that “public money” is my money and your money. It should be used wisely and only on things necessary. It is not an endless pot and it is unfair to continue to place the burden of excessive spending on taxpayers.

Well, Senator Page from Charleston challenged my comments. He talked about growth in our area and how great our schools are in York County. Our schools are not all great in York County which I pointed out and that parent’s needed choice when it came to their child’s education. He then stupidly commented on how my children sure would enjoy the astro turf and jumbotron to which I kindly told him that I did not give a rat’s behind if my children enjoyed these luxuries, that this is not something that taxpayers should be required to foot the bill for. Senator Page chuckled and said, well, you do know Mam that you are talking to a “tax and spend liberal”. I let a moment pass for that to sink in with everyone…….and responded “clearly”.

These are the kind of people we have serving in the State House. People who publicly state, without hesitation, embarrassment, or shame that they are “tax and spend liberals”. We have others on the public dole, who without hesitation, beg these big spenders for more money and do so without shame. This is my money. This is every honest working person’s money. I file my taxes every year and pay a gracious plenty in taxes. And to be honest, I don’t mind paying my share of taxes. What I do mind is my tax dollars not being spent wisely. I want representatives in Columbia to be good stewards of my money and they are NOT! I don’t want to pay for a Jumbotron. I don’t want to funnel massive quantities into public education when we are getting no band for our buck. Corporate American doesn’t infuse massive amounts of money into failing companies. They have to turn a profit or they close. We should be seeing a “profit” in our public education system and we are NOT! We have been told for 40 years, “we need more money and the education system will improve”. It has NOT. Are we stupid? Do you continue to pour money into something that is not working? I don’t, I can’t because I don’t have an endless supply of money and we should let our government know THEY DON’T EITHER.