South Carolina needs 'change'

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plan for improving our state but he

must work with legislative leaders.

Gov. Mark Sanford last week unveiled his "Contract for Change" an ambitious five-point plan for reforming state government, lowering taxes and making South Carolina a more attractive home for business and industry. Sanford's ideas are sound, and indeed state government will become more efficient and this state more competitive if the Legislature follows through with the governor's proposals.

Sanford cannot reform state government by himself, and many legislators support the governor's ideas. In fact, the state House of Representatives last year passed 14 of the governor's 16 legislative priorities. Those bills usually died a slow death in the Senate, where only three of Sanford's priorities made it into law.

It was discouraging that some state representatives, including House Speaker David Wilkins of Greenville, thought they had been left out of plans for the release of the "Contract for Change." Wilkins said he had worked on the legislative priorities with the governor and had an agreement for a joint release of the proposals. The governor and his staff thought differently. The governor will have achieved little in June 2005 if he doesn't reach out to legislators who generally support his priorities and work with them to advance commonly shared goals.

The governor's five-point agenda calls for:

Creating more jobs by lowering the state income tax rate that at 7 percent is a weight on small businesses. The governor has proposed lowering the rate to 4.75 percent over six years.

Creating an efficient, accountable government by bringing more state agencies under the Governor's Office and reducing the number of independently elected constitutional officers.

Improving educational achievement by giving local school districts more flexibility in how they spend state money and by allowing parents more opportunities to choose where their children go to school.

Improving our business and health-care climate by reforming our legal system that makes it too expensive and too unpredictable to set up shop in this state or practice medicine in high-risk areas such as OB-GYN.

Updating the Senate rules so a minority of disgruntled senators cannot control the agenda for the entire state. The governor is right to put pressure on this body that nurtures antiquated rules to encourage obstructionism and damage the democratic process.

Two years ago, Sanford ran on a bold agenda that excited many voters who understand this state could be left behind in a global marketplace if it doesn't improve education, attract well-paying jobs and spend tax dollars more wisely. The governor has a long way to go to start making good on his campaign goals. He needs the support of like-minded legislators to advance his agenda.