Opinion – By Robert Scott – There have been several discussions lately, about the perceived need to call for a Constitutional Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution. Many have focused on the never-used method of amendment of having two-thirds of the states call a convention for proposing amendments, amendments that would go into effect when […]
– By Dean Campbell – December 5, 2014 Another Measure of Growth: Building Permits Last month, I discussed the millage rate as a measure of growth. This month, I want to take just a moment to discuss building permits as another measure on how well our local economy is doing. From January-October this […]
Opinion – By Robert Scott – The Columbia newspaper this week had an article about the cost to taxpayers of college scholarships for needy South Carolinians. The funding goes toward “Life Scholarships,” which promise students up to $5000 per year and “Palmetto Scholarships,” which promise students up to $7500 per year, toward the cost of […]
Opinion – By G. Miller Thompson – Last week a grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri did not hand down an indictment in the Michael Brown shooting case from August of this year. Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson Police Department shot and killed Brown during an altercation on August 9. What has followed […]
Opinon – By Robert Scott – It’s Thanksgiving week, and it was my turn to be Lector at Trinity Episcopal Church last Sunday. The Lector is the lay person who reads the Old Testament lesson, the week’s Psalm, and Epistle lesson during the service, followed by the Vicar with this week’s appointed Gospel reading. I […]
Opinion – By G. Miller Thompson – You may have heard by now that President Obama is expected to take executive action on immigration reform in the coming days. Threats of unilateral action are nothing new from the Obama White House and this particular set of actions is anticipated to grant legal documents to as […]
Opinion – By Robert Scott – Let’s talk about highways and bridges – what most of us think of, when we think of “infrastructure.” A few months ago this column addressed how our highway infrastructure is presently funded: almost entirely by the highway fuel tax. Our state highway tax is 16.75 cents a gallon, and […]
Opinion – By G. Miller Thompson – “Make no mistake: these policies are on the ballot. Every single one of them.” This line was included in a speech President Obama gave at Northwestern University in early October. Some of these policies include making it easier for first-time homebuyers to get a loan, investing in clean […]
Opinion – By Robert Scott – This year’s election cycle is finally over, and the results nationwide show a clear shift: in the U.S. Senate, there will now be a slight Republican majority instead of a slight Democratic majority, and in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Republican majority will be larger than it has […]
Opinion Last month the County Council passed the millage rate for the current tax year. We did not increase the amount you pay in County Government taxes. That’s the first bit of good news. The second part of the good news is that our County is growing, which helps keep taxes under control. […]