Regardless of a State Ethics Commission ruling this week approving the process of using state tax dollars to pay a private foundation's bill for preserving a Civil War era-submarine, fine-tuning of the practice should be undertaken.

The commission rendered its ruling after Charleston attorney Justin Kahn, the Democrat opposing state Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, in next month's election, claimed the process of paying bills was an ethics violation.

Kahn claims that when McConnell, chairman of the South Carolina Hunley Commission, can't use his office to influence any governmental decision in which he or an associate has an economic interest. According to Associated Press reports, Kahn contends McConnell "has directed millions of taxpayer dollars to the company he started, which is staffed with or employs people with whom he associates."

While McConnell calls the claim "ludicrous," an Ethics Commission attorney defines it as a "cozy" relationship.

The fault for these claims goes back to state and federal lawmakers who have allowed nearly $9 million of public taxpayers' money to be used without some very stringent oversight. That McConnell submits bills to the State Budget and Control Board for payment may not be good enough.

Friends of the Hunley, the fund-raising arm of the restoration project, has even claimed that it is a private organization and doesn't have to comply with the state Freedom of Information laws, which opens their books to public scrutiny. Expenditures may be well documented, but it would be nice if John Q. Public could ask for the documents and not get the runaround.

Gov. Mark Sanford continues to put a microscope on agency expenditures across the spectrum of government. It would be nice to see the same scrutiny placed on money that has been allocated to this organization.

Preservation of history is important. Preserving history can enhance commerce by supplying jobs and buying goods and services in a community, as well as expand the knowledge of the citizenry. But if the governor and the legislature scrutinize all expenditures to make sure that tax dollars are used for the "best" public purpose, then this group won't get additional public funding.

Additionally, a supposedly private group shouldn't be able to call the shots without having an independent person or agency looking over their shoulder to make sure that everything is in order.