| Sanford's public hearings address budget woes AIKEN - If it wants to run more smoothly, South Carolina government could start by communicating more efficiently. That was just one example put forward at a public hearing Tuesday night at Aiken Technical College. The meeting was the first of six Gov. Mark Sanford's MAP Commission - Management, Accountability and Performance - is holding throughout the state in order to make government run better. The gatherings follow a series of hearings the governor held over the summer with various state agencies, also held to find ways the state can run more smoothly in light of a strapped budget that includes a revenue shortfall of about $190 million through June. Not everyone is convinced public hearings are the answer to budget woes, but between comments Tuesday night and the more than 9,000 responses already collected from state employees, the MAP Commission has plenty to go on. The committee is going over state government with a fine-toothed comb, even counting the number of state-owned buildings, cars and cell phones. Part of its goal is to consolidate offices that perform similar duties and privatize others. "We're looking at functions across the board," said Ken Wingate, the volunteer chairman of the commission. Mr. Sanford could start by directing more money toward the Department of Social Services, said Austin Scott, the director of Aiken County's DSS office. Government typically spends between $50 and $75,000 from birth until age 21 on children born to teenage mothers, he said, which could be avoided if young women were properly educated. One man told the MAP panel the state should rely more on inmate labor, while Roger Jensen said more should be done to put vocationally handicapped individuals to work. Mr. Jensen employs seven disabled people at his MPI Industries, which manufactures pottery. He would employ more if state grants were more easy to access, he said. "They all say there's money available but there's nobody to help you with it," he said. "Every time you ask about it, somebody's cutting their budget." The MAP Commission's final report is due Sept. 30 but House Rep. Roland Smith, R-Langley, isn't convinced it will produce solid results. "I'm going to wait to comment until we get it in the General Assembly," he said. Reach Josh Gelinas at (803) 279-6895 or josh.gelinas@augustachronicle.com.
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