ISLANDPACKET.COM – A reader recently wrote that my desire to cap state-government spending betrays ignorance of the role government plays in the economy. “When the state spends money, that money goes into the economy to pay salaries, purchase goods, pay for services, etc.,” he says. “It is the same as when I spend money.”

Of course government spending affects the economy. And when the government spends taxpayers’ money on the essential things only government can do, the effect is positive. But when government decides, as it always does, to do more, it is a mistake to assume public and private spending are the same.

ISLANDPACKET.COM – “…We realize some parts of that report probably shouldn’t be disclosed publicly for security reasons, but sensitive information can be redacted. A publicly funded report on a very public matter should not be hidden. Gov. Nikki Haley’s administration is wrong to say it won’t release the report. Haley’s spokesman said they were heeding the advice of Mandiant. That’s not good enough.

At the very least, as state Sen. Tom Davis of Beaufort says, the Department of Revenue should have to provide a much more detailed explanation for why it is withholding the report.

“There has to be an extremely high threshold to justify withholding information that is clearly in the public interest,” Davis said.”

ISLANDPACKET.COM – State Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, wants to reduce property taxes on second homes and business properties, but says repealing the controversial school funding law known as Act 388 is not the answer.
Repealing the controversial 2006 law would simply cause a massive property-tax increase for most homeowners, Davis said.

“I don’t think that’s politically feasible, nor do I think that good public policy,” he said in an interview last week.

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