x-sender: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com x-receiver: governor.haley@sc.lmhostediq.com Received: from mail pickup service by IQ12 with Microsoft SMTPSVC; Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:41:24 -0500 thread-index: AdBLkVoZuRjL5/WlQJOe7lHI48h86w== Thread-Topic: Ethics Reform From: To: Subject: Ethics Reform Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:41:24 -0500 Message-ID: <4BEC18AFE6F94DB6BDBB04AA1F4EF37D@IQ12> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft CDO for Windows 2000 Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message Importance: normal Priority: normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.1.7601.17609 X-OriginalArrivalTime: 18 Feb 2015 15:41:24.0976 (UTC) FILETIME=[5A38D700:01D04B91] CUSTOM Mr. Tom Zinn PO Box 1726 Bluffton SC 29910 tzinn@zamsc.com 843-384-1451 8437059400 ETHI Ethics Reform Dear Governor Haley, Help!!! I've read with great delight about the leadership that you have been providing with Ethics Reform in South Carolina. I unfortunately have also been reading the shortsightedness of others about the topic. Most recently an Island Packet editorial appeared on February 14 http://www.islandpacket.com/2015/02/14/3592448/government-lobbyists-show-systemic.html that exemplifies the problem. Please consider sending or having a member of your staff send an email or letter to the Editor of the Packet to be sure that the Editor understands that: 1. the $7 mm to Beaufort County may not necessarily come with no strings attached. Questions arise what Beaufort County had to directly or indirectly give up, concede, etc. to get the $7 mm or so. Specifically, someone needs to report on the who/what/when/where/why behind the scene's rest of the story about the facts and data of how Beaufort County will now get whatever money it gets and what may be expected in return from Beaufort County. Clearly, there is a need for full and complete transparency by Beaufort and all counties in South Carolina as well as all State government agencies and departments regarding the ins and outs of these allocation processes. 2. the editorial above concedes that the "zero-sum" game of the allocation of the funding, but misses the point that lobbyists don't work for free and the "sum" is reduced by any and all moneys directly and indirectly paid to and/or for the benefits of lobbyists and their related parties. i.e. Considerable time, energy, and money could be saved by eliminating the need for lobbyists. I feel that the citizens of South Carolina should have an accounting of the spread between the gross and net that is expected to come to Beaufort County assuming that Beaufort County rather than the region or the state or the nation or the world should be our focus. I also believe that the taxpayers would like the editors to be asking the tough question of how much taxpayer money is cumulatively being spent by all Counties and other governmental entities for lobbyists and their affiliates on SC School matters as an example. Again. I'm excited that you have prioritized and are setting an example for ethics reform, transparency, the provision of a level playing field for all, the disclosure of conflicts of interest by governmental officials and their being required to recuse themselves as and when appropriate, etc., etc. I feel that there is no other higher priority for the greater good a(nd all of the many initiatives that SC has) and your setting the example that you are setting in Columbia will not only filter down to SC's counties and municipalities but upward to Washington as well. Please keep up your great work in this regard. I can't wait to see if you have more to come with your Ethics initiative! Very truly, Tom Zinn