Four keys to a brighter future for South Carolina

Another election has come and gone, and those fortunate enough to have been chosen by their neighbors for public service now must devote their election-year energy into governing during difficult times.

Even in the best of times, the challenges facing South Carolina are unique. For too long we've languished at the bottom in education, healthcare, and personal income. These days, we also face an economic crisis and serious budget troubles largely of our own making.

It's obviously time for some major changes. We can no longer afford politics as usual, or business as usual. To my mind, there are four major reforms that are needed if we're to truly move South Carolina forward.

First, we must increase transparency. There's a long overdue move afoot to draw back the curtains of state government so that more decisions are made in full view of the citizens who are impacted by those decisions. One such measure, the 2009 Spending Accountability Act, would require more legislative votes to be recorded on the record rather than to pass legislation by group voice vote. This would deter lawmakers from casting votes which are not necessarily in thepublics' best interests and allow voters to make better-informed decisions in the voting booth.

Also, I recently worked with Gov. Sanford to create the state's first spending transparency Web site. This site is linked to my office's Office Web site (www.cg.sc.gov) and contains detailed spending information for more than 80 state agencies. Like the recorded-vote legislation, this is an important step toward telling citizens how their money is spent, and holding those in charge of our purse-strings more accountable.

Second, must show more fiscal restraint. Government spending is growing too fast – way too fast. There's too much unnecessary spending -- such as state grants for festivals and other "pork" projects which should not be the function of state government. For conservatives in particular, we should return to our core principles of limited spending and less government.

One common sense proposal by Gov. Mark Sanford would limit increases in government spending to increases in the inflation rate plus the rate our population increases, which would prevent the growth of government from outpacing our ability to pay for it. Lawmakers would do well to give the Governor's plan careful consideration or to come forward with another effective plan to accomplish the same purpose.

Third, it's time to restructure government, so that it operates more efficiently and puts our tax dollars to their best possible use. The current system, designed in the 19th century, is outdated and unwieldy. It gives the Governor control of less than half the executive branch, which dilutes accountability.

A good first step toward restructuring would be to dissolve the five-member Budget & Control Board, the powerful central agency in charge of the state's finances and landlord functions, which usurps much of the power that rightfully belongs to the state's Chief Executive. One common-sense proposal would replace the Budget & Control Board with a Department of Administration, one accountable solely to the Governor.

Fourth and finally, some soul-searching is in order. We need to examine anew our philosophy about public service. It's time to put aside the petty partisanship and individual self-serving ways that keep us from reaching our potential, and put government back to work for the people.

While remaining true to principle and standing for what we believe is right, we must also recognize our need to work with good people who hold other viewpoints when it's in the best interest of South Carolina.

No doubt some of these proposed reforms will be met with cynicism. Frankly, there's a battle going on in Columbia between those who want to reform government and those who are content with the status quo. But if we're to truly move our state forward -- out of last place and toward a brighter future -- we must change the way our government operates and start doing what's best for the taxpayers.