State House Report #1 -  Shannon Erickson - House District 124 January 11, 2008

Well, the 2008 South Carolina Legislative Session began this past week! It was quite exciting to finally get to work in the House chamber and very humbling to know that I was representing Beaufort...you...my friends, neighbors, co-workers, club members, church family, and fellow lowcountry residents. Thank you for your support, kind words, and prayers. I hope you and your families had a blessed and wonderful Christmas and New Year and I look forward to a very busy year! On Wednesday, the House Republican Caucus unveiled its agenda for 2008 and I wanted to share it with you. There are seven major issues facing legislators this year that will impact the lives, jobs, and pocketbooks of all South Carolinians. We are still finalizing the text of the legislation for several of these issues, but here are the broad strokes. Fight Illegal Immigration. Congress’ inaction on this issue forces state Republicans to take action. We have unveiled a package of reforms that will include, among others, restrict illegal aliens’ access to public assistance, work to identify illegal immigrants who have committed crimes, and protect South Carolina’s legal workers. Stop Hidden Earmark Spending. Any item that is not specifically requested by a state agency for their budget must have a name and an explanation so the General Assembly knows what is being debated. Tax Cuts for Families. We are always looking for ways to lighten your tax burden – which is a central piece of our conservative philosophy. A decade ago, we ended the “marriage penalty.” Now, the House Republicans want to cut taxes on married couples. Improve Roads and Bridges. We must have a strong infrastructure to keep our economy vibrant. We took a first step last year by reforming the Department of Transportation to ensure it will use taxpayer money wisely. This year, Republicans want to dedicate a specific stream of money – most likely the sales tax paid on automobiles – so our DOT can count on consistent yearly funding for new construction and maintenance. Education Reform. The last time our state changed the way we fund public schools was during the Disco Era. Much has changed since then, obviously, and education funding is too complicated, too wasteful, and too prone to political changes. We are studying the best ways to reform our funding formulas and hope to make changes before the end of the session. We also want to change the Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test so it gives useful information to parents and teachers. Expanding the Economy by Helping Business. This is two issues in one. We can help small business with one of their biggest costs and help their employees get access to healthcare. We want to allow small businesses to band together and expand their purchasing power so they can buy health insurance for their employees at lower rates. We also want to examine the entire tax code so that we can stay competitive with our neighbors in recruiting new jobs to our state. Enact State Spending Caps. For more than 10 years, the House Republicans have supported imposing spending caps on our state government. We have passed a cap several times, only to have those caps stall in the Senate. We are encouraging the Senate and the Governor to move quickly on a bill we approved last year (H. 3295) so we can limit the growth of government once and for all. Big issues are never easy to solve, and I am certain that we will spend a lot of time working out the details, but I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get down to business. For more information on all of these items, go to www.schousegop.com As always, thank you for the privilege of serving you in Columbia. If I can ever be of assistance to you, or if you have ideas on these issues you want me to share with the rest of the General Assembly, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 843-263-1867 or by email at shannonerickson@schouse.org .