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Web posted
Monday, March 15, 2004
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Herbkersman: Bipartisan governance effort fails
By Bill Herbkersman
Special to the Carolina Morning News
From the House
As I write this, it is around 11 p.m. on the last day of budget consideration in the House. When I sat down to tap this out, between votes, it was my intention to convey a sense of the process by which we do our financial work up here. After some reflection, I think it might be better to just give you the scores and not dwell on the process too much. I seem to remember something about folks not really wanting to know how sausages or laws are truly made.
For example, a little while ago, we took up a measure to table a proposal to increase the cap on nuclear waste at Barnwell Nuclear Storage. One of my Democratic colleagues from the Barnwell area gave an impassioned speech on the potential impact on the health of his constituents if this extra 100,000 cubic feet of radioactive material was allowed in his community. We in the Beaufort County Delegation, along with the majority of the Coastal Caucus, voted to table. We had narrowly won an important battle to help secure the environmental future of our area. After all, we are only 90 miles downstream from this nuclear waste storage site.
Twenty minutes later, there was a call for a revote. This is a move allowed under House rules. Amazingly, this same Democratic member from the Barnwell area was back at the podium asking us to reconsider. Apparently he had heard from some of his home folks. He was now equally passionate in opposition as he was previously in support of the motion to table. The revote narrowly passed, allowing the increase in nuclear waste. I was sickened.
While that bipartisan effort at good governance failed, we were able to rally the Coastal Caucus, along with a large group of forward-looking Republicans and Democrats to fund the Conservation Bank. We managed to find $7.5 million to keep a promise made by the House in 2002 to fund this valuable conservation mechanism (see last week's column.)
What makes this promise-keeping all the more satisfying is the fact that a large portion of that $7.5 million will return to the Beaufort area to save the eroding beaches at Hunting Island State Park. My friend and close colleague, Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, deserves a load of credit for putting in the hours making the case for the Conservation Bank and Hunting Island State Park. We should all be proud of this fine public servant.
I heard from my friend Al Stern earlier today and he was disappointed that the delegation had voted for a particular school funding measure. Al, of course, is a member of the Beaufort County School Board and was very familiar with the proposal that passed 73-33. When he explained the details of the bill (actually an amendment to a bill) I realized we had misunderstood the impact of the law. While our votes did not affect the outcome of the vote, I was alarmed that we had supported something that we hadn't had a chance to properly digest. True, it was one of more than 350 amendments introduced almost at the last minute, but attention to detail is something I'm usually pretty good at. Apparently, not this time.
Thanks, Al. We will do better. I promise.
Like most of you, I was shocked and dismayed at Rep. JoAnne Gilham's decision not to run for another term. While I respect her reasons for quitting, I disagree with them. She made a mistake by signing the term limits pledge, just like we made a mistake by supporting an education amendment we, as a delegation, didn't properly parse. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to own up to the mistake, learn from it and carry on.
We need all the good people in the Legislature we can find. We are in this together. That's why they call it the House of Representatives.
Bill Herbkersman represents District 118 in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He can be reached through his Web site at www.herbkersman.com or by telephone at 757-7900. He is assigned to the agriculture, natural resources and environmental affairs committees.
Other state lawmakers are:
Sen. Scott Richardson, R
District 46
52 North Calibogue Cay
Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
610 Gressette Bldg.
Columbia, SC 29202-0142
(803) 212-6040
SR1@scsenate.org
Committee assignments: banking and insurance, general, judiciary, rules and transportation.
Sen. Clementa C. Pinckney, D
District 45
P.O. Box 300
Ridgeland, S.C. 29936
613 Gressette Bldg.
Columbia, S.C. 29202
(803) 212-6056
CCP@scsenate.org
Committee assignments: agriculture and natural resources, corrections and penology, finance, medical affairs and transportation.
Rep. R. Thayer Rivers Jr., D
District 122
P.O. Box 104
Ridgeland, S.C. 29936
532D Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, S.C. 29211
(803) 734-3073
Committee assignment: judiciary.
Rep. JoAnne Gilham, R
District 123
21 Dune Lane
Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
326C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, S.C. 29211-1867
(803) 734-2977
JG@scstatehouse.net
Committee assignment: education and public works and rules.
Rep. Catherine Ceips, R
District 124
1207 Bay St.
Beaufort, S.C. 29902
326A Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, S.C. 29211
(803) 734-3261
ceipsc@scstatehouse.net
Committee assignments: medical, military, public and municipal affairs.
Rep. Walter P. Lloyd, D
District 121
102 Rearden Lane
Walterboro, S.C. 29488
(home) 549-5026
(fax) 549-1281
(office) 549-7586
434C Blatt Bldg.
Columbia, S.C. 29211
(803) 549-5026
WPL@scstatehouse.net
Committee assignments: education and public works.
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