Rep. Dan Cooper R-Anderson

By Nicholas Charalambous Anderson Independent-Mail
June 14, 2005

Piedmont Republican Dan T. Cooper is the new chairman of the South Carolina House budget-writing committee, making him one of a handful of top legislative power brokers shaping the state's future spending priorities and the conduct of government.

With a reputation as a "nuts and bolts" fiscal conservative and a straight shooter unafraid to speak his mind, Rep. Cooper won the unanimous support of his colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee after current Chairman Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, became House Speaker.

"It's a big job," he said. "I'm scared to death."

Rep. Cooper, who has served on the Ways and Means Committee for nine years, was seen as Rep. Harrell's heir apparent as second-in-command this year and after two years as the committee's floor leader during the peak of the state's five-year fiscal crisis.

Fellow Upstate lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, heaped praise on a man they said was a behind-the-scenes, go-to guy who was a "gentleman," was "astute" and was able to garner bi-partisan support. His nickname was "the guru," said Rep. Brian White, R-Anderson.

"He's a very conservative fellow," Rep. White said. "He's a good Christian man ... he has a lot of savvy about the political process."

The appointment "puts Anderson County in a very, very prestigious and powerful position in the General Assembly," said Rep. Ronnie Townsend, head of the House Education and Public Works Committee.

Freshman lawmaker and office mate Rep. Paul Agnew, D-Abbeville, said: "He's a pragmatic and hardworking guy."

Local officials also warmly welcomed his appointment, saying they had come to depend on Rep. Cooper's help in getting money for economic development projects and infrastructure spending, including a $250,000 annual allocation for Freedom Weekend Aloft.

Anderson County Administrator Joey Preston described his appointment as "awesome."

Anderson Mayor Richard Shirley said the Anderson County delegation's former reputation as a "laughingstock" was gone for good.

"This says you laugh at Anderson at your peril now," the mayor said.

The son of well-respected longtime House lawmaker Milford J. Cooper, Rep. Cooper first was elected in 1990 and quickly gained a reputation as a fiscal hardliner through his support for requiring a two-thirds majority for any state sales or income tax increase.

The former commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans Jefferson Davis Camp No. 7 supported keeping the Confederate flag flying atop the Statehouse dome. He also came under scrutiny for backing the state Board of Education appointment of Ron Wilson, whom at least one civil rights organization has criticized for holding racist views.

Clemson University political science professor Bruce Ransom said Rep. Cooper would pick up the mantle of a spending watchdog, looking not just at how money is spent but why it's spent.

"I think you had a nice fit where you had someone quite capable, fiscal conservative, could carry the ball and could pick up the regional balance," with the Lowcountry's Rep. Harrell as speaker, Mr. Ransom said.

Setting his goal as "careful stewardship," Rep. Cooper said his focus as chairman would be to control spending by better prioritizing expenditures and improving efficiency and accountability.

He said he wanted to see the state move toward zero-based budgeting and reevaluation of the role of government.

"I've always affirmed that we need to operate within our means," he said.

Continuing his criticism of Republican Gov. Mark Sanford's leadership style - especially his willingness to battle his own party on fiscal issues through his liberal use of vetoes - Rep. Cooper said he's all but given up on bridging the current divide between the state's executive and legislative branches.

"I'm always open to discussion, but as long as it's my way or the highway from the governor, I don't know if we have any ground to meet on."

Gov. Sanford's spokesman, Chris Drummond, said the governor was looking forward to having a good working relationship with Rep. Cooper "as we move forward with our efforts to reign in government spending."

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