Posted on Wed, Feb. 07, 2007

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Capitol connection

There are 52 days left in the 117th General Assembly

Quote of the Day

“Most of us don’t agree with James politically. All of us support what he’s getting ready to do.”

— House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, in urging Republicans to attend a reception for Rep. James Smith, a Columbia Democrat and S.C. Army Guard captain who is preparing to ship out to Afghanistan

Schmoozing

Where and when lawmakers can eat and drink for free today — and who’s buying:

• 8-10 a.m.: Breakfast, 221 Blatt Building, by the S.C. chapter of the March of Dimes

• 12-2 p.m.: Lunch, Capital City Club, by the American Heart Association

• 6-8 p.m.: Reception, Back Porch Cafe, by the S.C. Mortgage Brokers Association

Campaign Trail

GIULIANI TO SEND OFF CITADEL GRADS

Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will address Citadel Corps of Cadets grads during May commencement ceremonies.

The former New York City mayor was invited to speak because of his role in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The class of 2007 will graduate at 9:30 a.m. May 5 in McAlister Field House. Commencement is not open to the public. Admission is by ticket only.

EDWARDS PLANS CHARLESTON STOP

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards will host a town hall meeting Thursday in Charleston.

Edwards, an S.C. native and former U.S. senator from North Carolina, will speak at 12:45 p.m. at the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1422 Hall, 1142 Morrison Drive.

HUCKABEE COMING TO MYRTLE BEACH

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a 2008 GOP presidential hopeful, will attend the Horry County Republican Party Ball at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Crown Reef Resort, 2913 S. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach.

Tickets to the black-tie-optional event are $100 per person or $150 per couple. For tickets or more information, contact party chairman Robert Rabon at (843) 222-7268.

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Capitol Connection

• Art license plate unveiled

Arts supporters can wear their feelings on their bumpers with a new license plate.

The plate, designed by Ned Chilton of Manning, was unveiled Tuesday at the Columbia Museum of Art. Bearing the slogan “Driven by the Arts,” the plate features a paintbrush rendering of the shape of the state.

Chilton, who owns a marketing and advertising company and teaches art, received $500 for winning. His design was selected from 40 entries.

The slogan was submitted by Leigh Newman of Columbia and Eric Holowacz, formerly of Columbia and now a resident of New Zealand. It was one of 200 entries.

The plate costs $70 in addition to the usual tag charge of $24. Plate numbers 51 through 200 are available for $100 through the S.C. Arts Commission Web site at http://www.southcarolinaarts.com/.

The plates were unveiled as part of Arts Advocacy Day, when arts supporters gather in Columbia to lobby legislators.

COLLEAGUES HONOR SMITH

The Senate stood in recess Tuesday in honor of Rep. James Smith, D-Richland, who was serving his last day in the General Assembly for some time.

Smith, a captain in the S.C. Army Guard, leaves Thursday for Kansas, and then on to deployment in Afghanistan.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell, along with the majority and minority leaders in the House, hosted a reception for Smith on Tuesday night, too.

Smith said he visited Ground Zero in New York shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and “I knew that the 218th would respond to this. I knew we had to respond to this.”

Smith’s unit will train Afghan soldiers battling the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.

HOUSE PREPARES TO FILE DOT BILL

A House committee is close to wrapping up legislation to reform the state Department of Transportation.

The bill would create a seven-member commission elected by the Legislature, with a transportation secretary appointed by the governor.

The only remaining issue is when state law would apply to DOT contracts and spending and when it should be exempt.

Tuesday, the committee voted to allow the secretary to hire and fire all top deputies. The commission must take a vote on contracts for any company doing more than $500,000 in business with DOT in a year.

BILL LOOSENS LIMITS ON SCHOOL BUDGETS

School district budgets could increase at least 4 percent each year under bills approved Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee.

The two bills clean up last year’s statewide property-tax relief plan. That plan caps how much school districts can raise their tax rates, tying increases to the rate of inflation plus population growth.

But the state’s chief economist, Bill Gillespie, told the committee a quirk in the inflation rate means school districts could be shorted under the formula. So the committee amended the bills to ensure district budgets could grow at least 4 percent, as long as there is enough sales tax revenue to fund the increase.