2005 GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Don’t care about politics?
Don’t think what goes on at the State House has anything to do
with your life?
Think again.
Lawmakers spent the past five months trying to figure out how to
spend billions of your tax dollars and how to either make it easier
or more difficult for you to do what you’re already doing or what
you want to do.
They were pretty proud of themselves and their work after they
closed up shop on Thursday. But you be the judge.
Here’s a rundown of how what they did could affect you:
If you’re a state employee ... years of enduring agency
cutbacks will be rewarded with a 4 percent pay raise. But you’ll
have to pony up one-quarter percent of your paycheck to help shore
up the $25 billion state retirement system.
If you’re a state retiree ... you’ll get that 3.4 percent
cost-of-living increase you were sweating over. A last-minute deal
to strengthen the retirement fund saved that pop and guaranteed you
at least 1 percent a year from now on.
If you’re a TERI employee ... get ready to start forking
over more than 6 percent of your paycheck to your pension plan. That
annual cost-of-living increase for retirees isn’t free.
If you’re a state law enforcement officer ... you hit the
jackpot. You’ll get a 10 percent pay hike and maybe even a new
ride.
If you’re a beach bum ... keep one eye open while you bask
along the coastline, because the state is about to dump $5 million
worth of sand in select areas to help save eroding beaches.
If you’re a barhopper ... be prepared to pay the same
amount for a weaker mixed drink, as minibottles will be extinct from
most bars and restaurants beginning Jan 1. But cheer up: You’ll also
be able to order multi-liquor concoctions at a more reasonable
price.
If you’re a tailgater who doesn’t like beer ... you’ll
soon be able to buy minibottles yourself at liquor stores.
If you’re a bad doctor ... you won’t have to pay more than
$350,000 for pain and suffering if you’re guilty of malpractice.
If you’re a lawyer ... try a little humility. New
restrictions place bans on certain types of self-promotion, like
proclaiming yourself “the Heavy Hitter.” You might also want to
think twice before going to court, since you can now be punished for
filing frivolous lawsuits.
If you’re a wife-beater ... maybe this will give you a
reason to stop: You could spend more time in jail and pay a higher
fine now that lawmakers have raised the mandatory minimum penalties
for certain offenses. Oh, and a third offense is now a felony.
If you fall out of the Tilt-A-Whirl at the State Fair ...
tough luck. Under the new Rider Safety Act, your ability to sue is
severely limited. Read those new signs closely!
If you wish the Holy City was still called Charles Towne
... you’ll be pleased that Charleston made out like a bandit in
the state budget, with millions of dollars going to refurbish the
Morris Island Lighthouse, the Old Exchange Building and Charles
Towne Landing.
If you’re a Revolutionary War buff ... study up, pull on
your hiking boots and get ready to visit the newly acquired Battle
of Camden site and “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion’s refurbished tomb
before you head out to the soon-to-be-upgraded Francis Marion
Trail.
If you’re a Sunday driver ... you might notice smoother
rides on some of the state’s long-neglected secondary highways — but
a special fund created to fix dilapidated roads isn’t expected to
make a very big dent in the very big problem.
If you’re tired of “Big Nanny” government telling you what to
do in your car ... enjoy your “liberty” while you still can. The
governor has until Tuesday to sign into law tougher seat-belt
enforcement that could suck $25 out of your wallet.
If you’re a Big E fan ... call your senator or
representative before January and ride them hard to approve the
“Dale Earnhardt Day” bill, which would honor the late NASCAR legend
on his birthday every April 29.
If you take home more than $12,650 a year ... you’ll still
be sending 7 percent back to the state, since you are still in the
highest income tax bracket. Sanford and the House wanted you to pay
only 4.75 percent, but the Senate didn’t bite.
If you own a small business ... boy, did you luck out. You
had a lot of friends in the General Assembly this year. The income
tax on your profits will be cut to 5 percent from 7 percent during
the next five years. If you decide to expand, you also could get a
tax rebate for hiring new employees.
If you’re a public school student ... enjoy $400 more in
schooling next year, as the state will spend what the law tells them
to for the first time in years. You also could be riding to school
on a shiny new bus.
If you want to send your kids to private schools ... the
state won’t be helping you pay their tuition any time soon.
Sanford’s controversial “Put Parents in Charge” bill got smacked
down before it got a hearing on the House floor.
If you accidentally swallow some Drano ... you’ll soon
have a better chance of getting through to USC’s Poison Control
Center, which got $200,000 to expand services.
If you’re an industry and you think you can get away with
mucking up the environment ... think again. The state grand jury
can now come after you with subpoenas and other powerful legal tools
designed to punish willful polluters and other environmental
criminals.
If you’re a gym teacher or the lunch lady ... you’ve got a
little more job security thanks to a new law that beefs up physical
education and nutritional guidelines for all K-5 students.
If you’re on Medicaid ... your medical expenses shouldn’t
go up if your treatments remain the same because the state is
pouring $47 million more into the system to keep rising costs in
check .
If you own a home ... keep complaining about those
skyrocketing property tax bills. Lawmakers couldn’t agree on a plan
to curb rising taxes, despite an outcry from many homeowners.
If you hunt wild turkey ... stay on dry land; shooting
them from a boat is now against the law.
If you’re retired and like to fish ... you can get a
lifetime fishing license for a mere $9.
If you own a yacht ... keep docking it in Bermuda. A plan
that would’ve cut state taxes on luxury boats continues to tread
water in the General Assembly.
If you want kids to be bookworms ... you’re in luck. USC
is getting $1.5 million to set up the Augusta Baker endowed
professorship in children’s literacy.
If you’re gay ... voters will take to the polls in 2006 to
decide whether to constitutionally prohibit you from getting
married. Of course, state law already prevents you from tying the
knot, so ...
If you’re a technical college student ... watch out for
the paint fumes. Your classrooms could be due for a makeover, now
that millions of dollars have been earmarked for long-delayed
maintenance. Midlands Tech will get $100,000.
If you like watching chickens mix it up ... don’t sweat —
you won’t be charged with a felony or have to forfeit property if
you’re caught in a cockfighting sting because attempts to stiffen
penalties failed.
If you’re a gambler ... you might want to bone up on your
scratching skills and playing the lottery, because counties will
soon be able to ban gambling “cruises to nowhere” off the coast.
If you’re a cokehead or a meth dealer ... you’ve got a
better chance of going to the slammer and spending more time there.
Possession of powder cocaine now carries a stiffer penalty to match
crack cocaine. And selling or manufacturing methamphetamine is now
listed as a violent crime.
Reach Stensland at (803) 771-8358 or jstensland@thestate.com
