Friday, December 19, 2008

Who was hurt by election calls?

My letter  to the editor concerning yesterday's editorial was published in the Aiken Standard today. Thanks to Jeff Wallace for his timely action.


"Who was hurt by election calls?"



"With reference to the editorial concerning election law violations I agree completely that "it is time that laws dealing with election mischief are dealt with as felonies." However, I most emphatically disagree with your statement that the "intended result of the election-eve deception was not realized." Except for Ginny Allen and her-up- till-now undisclosed co-conspirators none of us can know for sure what the intended result was. It should be quite clear to the objective observer that the only person hurt by this reprehensible ploy was Scott Singer. Certainly there was no chance it would in any way affect the outcome of the Whinghter-Ryberg race since the polls showed Ryberg with more than 70 percent of the voters backing him. Ginny Allen, as an astute political operative, certainly knew that a last-minute attempt to hurt Senator Ryberg would be a waste of time and money.

The facts are that Senator Ryberg, upon learning about the fraudulent calls, immediately issued an angry statement denying any responsibility for them and denied supporting any candidate. Senator Ryberg also requested SLED to investigate. As a consequence of this angry statement many voters may have assumed that Scott Singer had sponsored the calls. To correct this misapprehension Senator Ryberg issued another statement on June 12, wherein he "declared his belief that the other candidate for office mentioned in the illegal call, County Councilman Scott Singer, was not involved in the phone call." For some reason this statement was never published in the Aiken Standard. Meanwhile critics used this spurious charge to cut into Singer's well deserved good reputation and high favorability ratings.

I for one am glad SLED has investigated and is continuing to investigate this matter. Let us wait until all the facts are in before we rush to judgment as to the effectiveness of the calls."

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Beautiful Downtown Aiken

The following was a special enclosure in the Aiken Standard a few weeks ago and I thought it was very well done. I know that not everyone subscribes to the Aiken Standard and those who don't would not have seen this so I am posting it here.Just click on the link if you want to view it in full size.

Downtown Paper

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Aiken Political Operative Arrested

The following is another painful example of how far politicos will go to help their preferred candidate win an election.

In addition to the Aiken Standard article I suggest that readers check out the press release on the SLED website. December 16- Aiken County Woman charged----

The following story has been updated and can be read at:.http://www.aikenstandard.com/Local/1217GinnyAllenArrested
Check out the on line comments. It appears that  law observance is unimportant to many of Ginnies supporters. Four comments sound familiar and were presumably made by the same cast of characters that produced the now defunct Easy Whiskey and the comatose Kaolin Kronicle aka as the Kremlin Kronicle.



BREAKING NEWS

FROM THE AIKEN STANDARD ONLINE

"Charges brought in robocall case"


12/16/2008 3:05 PM





















By KAREN DAILY

Staff writer

State Law Enforcement Division agents have arrested Aiken County GOP treasurer Virginia Austin Allen, 47, for her alleged role in orchestrating a number of automated phone calls earlier this summer that endorsed S.C. Sen. Greg Ryberg and then S.C. House District 81 seat candidate Scott Singer.

The calls showed Ryberg’s business office number as the origin of the calls, but Ryberg said he did not pay for, place or authorize them, denying any connection to the “robo calls.”

Singer also denies any connection to the calls.

Allen is charged with six counts of unlawful use of a telephone.

She was booked at the Aiken County detention center and released on her own personal recognizance.

State agents will be releasing arrest warrants today, according to officials.

Contact Karen Daily at kdaily@aikenstandard.com

House votes need to be recorded

The following letter from Jane Vaughters appeared in the Aiken Standard today.


"House votes need to be recorded"


"I was glad to see your editorial supporting recording votes in the state legislature so for the first time taxpayers could know how their representatives vote. Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell has once again kept this from happening.

What puzzled me was that you did not take the next obvious step and poll our delegation to see where they stand. Again, their positions were not recorded. I noticed that one House member has been appointed to a committee chairmanship by Speaker Harrell so we have a clue there. How about a survey of each member of the delegation with these specific quetions 1)Do you support Speaker Harrell's policies which hide votes from the people?

2) What are you actually doing to allow votes to be recorded for all taxpayers to see?

The press will need to be of help and ask some hard questions before this system which caters to special interests will change.


Jane Vaughters

Aiken"

Friday, December 12, 2008

Senate Leader Files Roll Call Bill

Senate leader files roll call bill

By SEANNA ADCOX Associated Press

COLUMBIA -- A continued push to increase the accountability of South Carolina lawmakers and cap government spending were among 180 proposals senators filed Wednesday for the upcoming legislative session.Republicans who control the Senate said the two issues will be a priority next year.

Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler filed a bill calling for more roll call votes in the Senate, mirroring one filed a day earlier in the House. Both chambers are allowing members to introduce bills ahead of the Jan. 13 start of the two-year session. Roll call votes record every lawmaker's decision on a proposal. That's in contrast to voice votes. Peeler says he's lined up 20 Senate co-sponsors and expects to get four more votes needed to get the bill out of the Senate and included in the chamber's rules."Transparency is clearly needed in South Carolina," the Gaffney Republican said.But he faces resistance within his own party.

Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell said he'll fight the bill "with every bit of energy I've got," calling it a waste of time and money. The Charleston Republican, who heads the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, said he will push instead for a change to Senate rules, requiring roll call voting for budgetary and contested measures. The specifics are still being worked out.

The House adopted rules last week that have come under question because they record every lawmaker as voting yes. Those who shout "nay" or those absent at the time must head to the clerk's desk to be properly recorded. Critics say it creates an inaccurate picture of support for legislation. Peeler said the Senate won't adopt anything like that. McConnell said that while Peeler's plan plays well publicly, roll call voting on every bill, including those without disagreement, would create gridlock in the Senate. He also called Peeler's proposal a "lawyer employability act," saying it would lead to lawsuits in which people claim procedure wasn't followed on laws they don't like.

Peeler said it may be time to consider electronic voting. In the Senate, roll call votes are handled by voice, with each of the 46 names called and those present answering. In the House, 124 members push a button and vote electronically."That's the main pushback I've received," Peeler said. "This thing is really going to take up time." But McConnell countered that made no sense."In a recession, with all of state government suffering, is not the time to be buying a voting machine for the Senate," he said.

McConnell refiled a proposed constitutional amendment that would curb state spending in surplus years and sock away extra money for lean times. Under the legislation, state spending could grow by no more than the 10-year average of the growth in population and personal income. Earlier this year, the amendment fell short of the two-thirds majority needed in the Senate by one vote."The beauty of it is in good times, it does not allow you to go on a spending binge," McConnell said. "In down years, the money is flowing back into coffers to pay the bills, rather than us hiring one year and firing the next."Other bills refiled by McConnell include one requiring state and local governments to print documents only in English, a proposal that won approval in the Senate earlier this year but died in the House.Democratic Sens. Darrell Jackson, of Hopkins, and Joel Lourie, of Columbia, proposed separate bills allowing residents to vote early in person, without needing an excuse. Jackson also wants to bar students from dropping out of school before they turn 18, instead of before age 17. But it was Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, who prefiled the most proposals, with 65 -- accounting for more than one-third of measures filed so far. Those include bills that would bar smoking in bars and restaurants -- an idea that died last session, prohibit restaurants from selling food containing trans fats, allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, and make it illegal for people to wear pants that sag more than 3 inches below their hips.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Give the Gift of Life

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM:

Linda Taylor

SC Community Relations Coordinator

353 Fabian Drive (near SteinMart)

Aiken, Sc 29803

ltaylor@shepeardblood,org

803.617.0007 office

706.339.5345 mobile

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




                                   

Local People Save Lives, Receive Gifts
FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Linda Petersen – GA Community Relations, (706) 339-5543, lpetersen@shepeardblood.org

Linda Taylor – SC Community Relations, (803) 643-7996, ltaylor@shepeardblood.org


Augusta, GA – Critically ill patients at our local hospitals may not know your name but they will never forget your gift of life.

In this season of giving, imagine giving the unforgettable gift of good health and winning an unforgettable gift for you! That is what is happening at Shepeard Community Blood Center blood drives and centers this December. One winner each week will choose from the following Unforgettable Gifts:

$1,000 Pre-paid Visa Gift Card

Plasma TV

MacBook Laptop

Our first Unforgettable Gift winner is Tom Paquette. Mr. Paquette is a faithful volunteer platelet donor at Shepeard West, Shepeard’s Platelet and Plasma Center, at 112 Davis Road in Martinez. Tom chose the $1,000 Pre-paid Visa Gift Card for his Unforgettable Gift. What gift will you choose?

Congratulations to the following people who won $500 Visa Gift Cards in our November drawings:

· Tammyria Jennings of Augusta who visited the Richmond County Board of Education Blood Drive

  Stacey Timmerman of North Augusta who visited the blood drive at Savannah River Site, Lower B Area

· Virginia Fox of Martinez who donated at Shepeard’s Center at 460 North Belair Road in Evans

· Russell Carter, Jr. of Warrenton, GA who presented to donate at Kimberly Clark

Platelets are the clotting part of blood. Platelets are used for cancer, transplants, and other critical injuries and illnesses. To learn more about donating platelets like Tom Paquette, our first Unforgettable Gift Winner, contact Vanessa Childs, Special Donations Coordinator: (706) 737-4551 or vchilds@shepeardblood.org

To find a place to donate with Shepeard this holiday season:

http://www.shepeardblood.org/ GA: (706) 737-4551 SC: (803) 643-7996

Saturday, December 6, 2008

City Update from Dick Dewar

HOUNDSLAKE GOLF COURSE - While this is my first post in a while, it does not mean that little of importance has been happening in Aiken. Most of you know about the turmoil and stress imposed on the residents of Houndslake North regarding the proposed closure of the Laurel golf course. I spent many hours helping other members of the Steering Committee to communicate options available to residents involved. We concluded with a very successful community meeting held at Odell Weeks.

While residents recently received a confirmation letter regarding the closure on December 31, I have been advised that there is a possibility of a delay in the closure while repairs are being made to the Azalea and Dogwood courses. Please keep in mind that this is a very fluid situation and plans change rapidly.

ZONING ORDINANCE CHANGE – At our last Council Meeting on November 17, we were asked to approve an ordinance dealing with Accessory Buildings in the Horse District. Currently an accessory building cannot be larger than 50% of the heated floor area of the principal building. Some feel that this has caused problems in the horse district since accessory buildings are used for horses, carriages, feed supplies, etc. While the Planning Commission recommended approval, I asked for input from the horse community since it was most affected. Accordingly, this matter has been delayed until we hear from the Equine Committee.

LANDSCAPING BY SCE&G – We received input from residents of Highland Park concerning problems caused by SCE&G tree trimming. While everyone understands that SCE&G must trim trees to prevent power disruptions, there is genuine concern about their process. In the Highland Park area, there was significant damage to the area. While SCE&G v-cuts the trees, they do not share the concern of residents who want minimum visual disruption. The City has made arrangements with SCE&G with regard to South Boundary Road to preserve a treasured city asset. The City will not permit the utility cut trees in this area; instead the City performs that task. The City Manager is working with SCE&G to determine if similar arrangements can be made elsewhere within the City to trim trees at SCE&G cost to eliminate this kind of problem. I will continue to monitor this issue.

B&W SALVAGE YARD – Much of the last Council meeting was consumed by the issue of the junk yard on Highway One. Many residents are dismayed that one of the main entrances to the City passes by this unsightly location. This issue had been long standing and dates to 1985. Nothing so far has been successful in removing this eyesore to one of the main entrances to the City. County Councilman Scott Singer has worked with County Council and South Carolina Department of Transportation with help from Senator Greg Ryberg in an effort to more effectively resolve this issue. Their recommendation is to build a fence to screen the property from public view. If the owner parks vehicles on the highway side of the fence, SCOT will enforce existing law by imposing daily fines until the law is followed. Funding for the fence would be a joint effort by both the County Council and City Council and approximate $50,000 each. While everyone wants this issue resolved, there was little consensus by the Council on action. Concern was raised about the cost of the fence, the ability and willingness of authorities to enforce the law, and public support of our efforts. At Monday’s City Council meeting we will consider a resolution supporting the County’s efforts to deal with this issue.

FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008 AUDIT OF CITY FINANCES – The firm of ElliottDavis was selected by bid process to perform an audit of city finances for the past fiscal year. We briefly reviewed their report at last Council meeting and will give final approval at Monday night’s meeting. The firm concluded that the City of Aiken is properly managing funds collected and spent. They identified no material weaknesses or significant deficiencies relating to the audit of the financial statement and no instances of noncompliance material to the financial statements. While audit reports can be dry reading, they do reveal significant findings. For example, the City has a 98.07% collection percentage for real and personal property taxes. The City has no outstanding general obligation debt. Our revenue sources are:

Charges for Services 47.74%

Property Taxes 18.08%

Business Taxes 11.61%

Capital Project Sales Taxes 9.87%

Unrestricted Investment Earnings 6.67%

Operating Grants 3.04%

Capital Grants 2.41%

Intergovernmental 1.69%

Accommodations Taxes 1.43%

Miscellaneous 0.46%

Our Government-Wide Expenses include:

Water & Sewer 29.77%

Public Safety 26.12%

General Government 12.00%

Recreation & Parks 10.56%

Public Works 9.16%

Sanitation 7.98%

Economic Development 3.14%

Storm Water 1.09%

Debt Service Interest 0.18%

Most of the City revenue from the previous year is from growth in property taxes from new resident and from business licenses. Major expenditures include over $300,000 in planning and traffic studies and over $5,000,000 in benefits and insurance. Despite a 5% increase in water and sewer rates last year, only one city in South Carolina has lower rates than Aiken. We exceeded expenditures over budget in the Aiken Community Playhouse Fund ($5,099). Community Development Block Grant Fund ($57,008) and Local Accommodations Tax Fund ($59,671). In every other case, our budgeted amounts exceeded what we spent. The Aiken Corporation owes the city $2,670,035 for several loans in past years. Some of this money will be collected when property is sold and the Aiken Corporation has been making satisfactory progress in repaying loans. Overall, the City is handling your money well and in accordance with acceptable accounting standards. The City Manager recognized our current economic climate and will act accordingly in controlling expenses during the year.

CLOSURE OF UNOPENED PORTION OF COKER SPRINGS ROAD – The Hitchcock Woods Foundation in a friendly suit sued the City to close a portion of Coker Springs Road between Newberry Street and Laurens Street. Adjacent property owners have been notified.Since this section of roadway has never been opened in the past as a public roadway the ordinance is expected to pass first reading on Monday.

Posted by Dick Dewar

Thursday, December 4, 2008