School choice proposal also dominates annual speech

By STEPHANIE TRACY
Anderson Independent-Mail
January 26, 2005

COLUMBIA — In his third State of the State address, Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday warned legislators against uncontrolled spending despite a brighter fiscal outlook and asked for their support to bring more educational choices to South Carolina students.

"I would boil it down to a situation that is improving, but one in which we are not yet out of the woods," Gov. Sanford said. "Tonight is a time for choosing."

In the nearly hourlong address to a joint legislative session, Gov. Sanford detailed a laundry list of national and international pressures that threaten to undermine South Carolina’s fragile economic upswing, including the war in Iraq, a weak U.S. dollar and increased competition from emerging industrial nations such as China and India.

"All these things point to the need to put our financial house in order rather than fall to the political temptation to spend every new dollar that comes into Columbia," Gov. Sanford said.

The governor called on lawmakers to commit themselves to sweeping changes in state government, particularly in the areas of income taxes and the public education system. He said reductions in the state income tax to make South Carolina more competitive with neighboring states was critical to helping small businesses thrive and to attracting the "economic engine" of retiring baby boomers.

Gov. Sanford spent the majority of his speech attempting to persuade legislators to support his school choice initiatives.

"If you send someone out into the 21st century workforce without a first-rate education you are literally doing the equivalent of sending them into battle without a gun," he said. "You cannot thrive, you cannot prosper, without a grade ‘A’ education in today’s world."

The governor also reached out for the public’s support of school choice, saying the fundamental structure of government was not equipped to make such a monumental change, but market forces and the demand from parents had proven strong enough to affect change in other parts of the country.

"This is a gut-check vote and indeed a time for choosing, I believe, on the degree to which we care about not only doing things to make our state more competitive but, more importantly, about making changes that can transform people’s lives," Gov. Sanford said.

In addition to tax and education reform, the governor called on lawmakers to take decisive action on capping medical malpractice lawsuit awards to protect the state’s economic development future.

"I believe it is time to follow the other 26 states that have modified their legal systems, or get ready for a lot of U-Haul trailers headed down I-95 or I-85 with jobs and investment bound for some other state that would have come here if we had changed things," the governor said. The statement brought thunderous applause from the packed chamber.

The breadth of the address drew praise from some Upstate lawmakers.

"I was impressed. He covered a tremendous amount of topics," said Sen. Thomas Alexander, R-Walhalla. "I think he’s offered us a tremendous olive branch. I don’t know that I’ve seen a more sincere address of his goals."

Freshman Sen. Kevin Bryant, R-Anderson, said he heard no surprises in the governor’s speech.

"I think it was a good summary of the issues the governor’s been talking about for the last few years," he said.

But the governor’s insistence that more variety in the public school system would make South Carolina more competitive did not convince one local lawmaker.

"I believe in charter schools, but I have reservations about the Put Parents In Charge Act," said Rep. Ronald Townsend, R-Anderson. "I’m not sure competitiveness in that regard will be achieved in South Carolina. We have a big variety in South Carolina now, and I’m not sure what a tax credit would do to increase competitiveness."

State Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum called the governor’s comparing special schools with government grants in Milwaukee, Wis., to schools in some of South Carolina’s poorest communities "a cheap shot."

Gov. Sanford said parents cry tears of joy to get into special schools with government grants in Milwaukee, and he wondered if anyone could "imagine tears of joy being shed because you got into the existing public school in Allendale or Marion" counties, which rank at the bottom of most education ratings.

Other state Democratic leaders, such as House Minority Leader Harry Ott, D-St. Matthews, criticized the governor for focusing on the state’s poor economy and then discussing programs that would need more funding, including the income tax reduction proposal.

"I was disappointed he spent no time whatsoever talking about property tax relief," Rep. Ott said. "Folks back home are demanding that we acknowledge that we need some property tax relief."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Stephanie Tracy can be reached at (800) 859-6397, Ext. 342 or by e-mail at tracysk@IndependentMail.com.

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