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Letters to the Editor
Tuition tax credit could drain state’s general fund
Headlines about the tuition tax credit legislation typically focus solely on the impact on education while disregarding the fact that this proposal drains money from the state’s general fund. This legislation was pre-filed in the state’s House as tax legislation, currently assigned to the House Ways and Means committee. All of you who ignore this legislation because you think it is simply an “education” proposal should examine its likely impact on your way of life.
The proponents of the tax credit are delighted that the public has been convinced this matter only involves education. Don’t overlook the fact that taking money from the general fund means all state services will likely suffer budget cuts. Unless the Legislature finds a replacement for the lost revenue one must consider the impact on all state services. Can we expect increases in sales taxes or user fees?
The proponents have not mentioned that donations to the Scholarship Granting Organizations allowed under this legislation are unlimited. Any tax paying entity could divert its entire state tax liability to a SGO rather than paying state income taxes. No study has determined the impact of the millions of dollars that could potentially be redirected from the state treasury to SGOs. How would this money be replaced? Will citizens who don’t give to SGOs or use the tax credit be expected to pay higher taxes to offset lost revenues?
Isn’t it our state Legislature’s obligation to enact legislation that benefits the majority, not just a few, of our citizens?
Tommy McPherson
Pinopolis
S.C. Veterans want asbestos reform bill passed
The asbestos legal crisis has hit veterans especially hard.
Many thousands of veterans were exposed to dangerous levels of asbestos between World War II and the Vietnam War, when the deadly material was commonly used in military construction. Asbestos was used extensively in shipbuilding and thousands of Navy veterans were exposed as a result.
Many of the diseases caused by asbestos don’t show up for years and today retired sailors and shipbuilders continue to be diagnosed with asbestosis, mesothelioma and deadly lung cancers as a result of exposure.
Sen. Lindsey Graham is a veteran who spent more than six years as an Air Force lawyer; he was recalled to active duty for the first Gulf War and still serves in the Air Force Reserve. I know that Sen. Graham will remember his fellow men and women in uniform when the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, on which he serves, considers legislation to fix the broken asbestos litigation system later this year.
The current system leaves veterans with virtually no means for seeking compensation. Because they were once government employees, veterans can’t seek compensation from their former employer through the courts. While other victims can sue the companies that supplied their employers with asbestos, most of the companies that supplied the U.S. military with asbestos are long gone.
Sen. Graham and the rest of the Senate Judiciary Committee have tried to fix the problem before. But so far trial lawyers and others with an interest in seeing the broken system continue have managed to beat back attempts at reform.
This year senators will try again. Already, Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., has begun drafting legislation that would replace the current system with an asbestos victims’ compensation fund. This legislation, if enacted, will make sure that veterans and other victims get paid fairly while they’re still around to collect.
The asbestos victims’ compensation fund is the best solution for veterans and for all victims of the current asbestos crisis. The $140 million fund won’t cost taxpayers a dime.
Businesses and insurance companies will pay into the fund, truly sick victims will get compensated and veterans won’t lose their current benefits.
Veterans groups across the country, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Military Order of the Purple Heart are supporting this legislation, because it is the only solution to the asbestos crisis that helps veterans.
I urge Sen. Graham to honor his fellow veterans by doing everything he can to help Sen. Specter get this bill through the Senate Judiciary Committee without delay. Our sick veterans simply can’t wait another year without a resolution to this problem.
Fran Williamson
Past State Commander
South Carolina Veterans of Foreign Wars
Take another look at ‘Put Parents In Charge’
I read Bill Settlemyer’s editorial in the Feb. 21 issue regarding Gov. Sanford’s “Put Parents In Charge” bill. I thank you for the insightful comments you made about this proposal and the many pitfalls within it. However, I wish you had gone further in your research.
You cite the “successful” Milwaukee voucher program as an example of how a voucher program can be run successfully. I challenge you to investigate further to see the actual results of their program. My efforts have revealed that there is no creditable research that shows any improvement in academic performance because of this program.
Proponents tout increased scores in Milwaukee Public School test scores without noting that all scores within Wisconsin rose during the measured time frame.
They say that parents of students in voucher schools are happy with the education their child is receiving. They fail to point out that should parents be unhappy they could and would simply take their children out of the school.
Family and environmental factors are ignored as contributing factors to student performance. Common sense tells us that parents who care enough about their child’s education to make a conscious decision to send them to a different school that the one to which they are assigned, will be more supportive of their child’s educational pursuit. In fact, research shows that up to 80% of a child’s ability to learn has been developed before the child reaches age 8. Systemic academic progress in South Carolina will require developing ways to impact our children at a very early age.
It is alarming that in South Carolina where we have imposed some of most stringent accountability standards in the nation on our schools that our governor is proposing to allow tax dollars be committed without a trace of educational accountability attached.
Wayne Wingate
Rock Hill
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