S.C. Politics Today: Poll: Spratt leads in 5th district race

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I agree this is another one of those things that will have the rest of the country laughing at South Carolina again . . . I am at a point now I try not to say I live in South Carolina. It's embarrassing."

- Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Organgeburg, speaking against a Senate resolution that would reaffirm the 9th and 10th amendments. Backers of the bill want to prevent S.C. from participating in federal health care reform, something backers say is an option under the states' rights provision of the U.S. Constitution.

CAMPAIGN TRAIL

Poll: Spratt leads in 5th district race

A newly released poll shows U.S. Rep. John Spratt leads two potential opponents.

According to North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling, Spratt leads Republicans state Sen. Mick Mulvaney 46-39 and Albert Spencer 46-37. By a 41-42 margin, more of those surveyed said they disapproved of Spratt's job performance.

But those surveyed said they thought Spratt was more conservative than Democratic brethren in D.C., with 47 percent saying Spratt is "about right" ideologically, while 31 percent said he was "too liberal."

"John Spratt is going to have to fight for re-election but he's in better shape than a lot of Southern Democrats in conservative districts," said Dean Debnam, president of Public Policy Polling. "Most of his constituents still see him as a centrist, even as they see his Congressional Democratic brethren as too liberal."

Spratt has represented South Carolina's 5th Congressional District, which includes Rock Hill, York, Sumter and much of north central South Carolina, since 1983.

The poll surveyed 600 5th Congressional District voters from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24. The margin of error is +/- 4 percent.

- John O'Connor

SCHMOOZING

When and where lawmakers will eat and drink for free today - and who's buying

8-9 a.m. Breakfast, Blatt Building, room 112, by the S.C. Association of Christian Schools for Excellence

DAILY BUZZ

HOWARD RICH COMES TO S.C. TO GET COZY

New York businessman Howard Rich was in South Carolina this week, meeting with lawmakers and others about future school choice legislation, sources tell The Buzz.

Rich has gained notoriety for quietly backing S.C. State House candidates friendly to the school choice agenda and helping to craft legislation to give tax credits to parents who send their children to private schools.

Sources say Rich was not here to push any specific piece of legislation. Rather, he was looking to build bridges.

Neither House Republicans nor Gov. Mark Sanford included school choice on their agendas for this legislative session.

But The Buzz thinks Rich's money guarantees someone will take up the issue again.

CAPITOL CONNECTION

Lawmakers target Fairfield school board

Fairfield County lawmakers Wednesday introduced legislation that strips the Fairfield County School Board of its financial responsibility, moving administration of school finances to a new board.

The action does not dissolve the elected school board but creates a board within a board.

Sen. Creighton Coleman, D-Fairfield, told the Senate the troubled school system demands change.

Coleman said only 50 percent of the school system's $49 million-a-year budget is making its way into classrooms. At the same time, Coleman said grades in the district are declining and there is a pattern of lagging improvement in school achievement.

Coleman said he and Rep. Boyd Brown, D-Fairfield, have told school officials the legislation creating the new financial board would phase out when classroom spending improves to at least 70 percent of the district's annual budget.

"I did not want to do this," Coleman said, noting the district has gone through nine superintendents since the late 1980s.

Coleman said the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges has found the school board habitually has diminished the authority of its superintendent and failed to be wise stewards of district money.

Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, questioned Coleman about the action, cautioning the lawmaker against usurping the authority of an elected school board.

"I don't want to get involved with this but wouldn't your board be replaced on Election Day anyway?" Ford asked. "That's not democracy. That's almost like a dictatorship."

Coleman told the Senate he was certain the majority of the people of Fairfield County supported his action.

Because the bill is considered local legislation, the Senate does not usually vote on the issue. However, it requires two more readings in the Senate before going to the House. There, as local legislation, it also normally would face easy passage.

Sen. John Matthews, D-Orangeburg, said the action does not set a precedent. He said other S.C. school districts have removed financial authority from their school boards, vesting that authority with their county councils.

- Roddie Burris

SCHOOL JUNK FOOD BAN GETS FIRST OK

South Carolina students couldn't buy honey buns or pizza during the school day under a bill that has received tentative approval.

A Senate Education subcommittee Wednesday approved legislation aimed at curbing childhood obesity by giving students only healthful options in the cafeteria and canteens.

South Carolina has one of the nation's highest rates of overweight and obese youth.

Rep. Bakari Sellers of Denmark has fought for the bill for three years. The 25-year-old Democrat says the measure could save both lives and health care costs.

The House passed the bill last year after exempting fundraisers by parent groups and others. A Senate amendment would prohibit those fundraising food sales during school hours.

- The Associated Press

STATES' RIGHTS BILL, HITS HOUSE, STALLS

The House will continue debate today on a Senate resolution reaffirming the 9th and 10th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

Democrats, headed by Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, worked Wednesday to stall a vote on the resolution, saying it has no real meaning and is a waste of precious legislative time.

"The purpose of the resolution is to let Congress know that, here in South Carolina, even though we have thousands of people with no health insurance, we say, 'By God, let them continue not to have health insurance. Don't you dare try to provide health insurance for uninsured South Carolinians,'" Cobb-Hunter said.

Republicans say the resolution, which reaffirms states' rights, will help prevent the federal government from forcing expensive health care reform on South Carolina including a requirement that all South Carolinians purchase health care.

The debate, punctuated by Democrats' references to Gov. Mark Sanford's secret trip to Argentina, Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's likening recipients of public assistance to stray animals and other recent S.C. moments, often got off course.

Most Republicans sat quietly during the debate, waiting the Democrats out. But Rep. Michael Thompson, R-Anderson, who is not running for re-election, agreed with the Democrats that the resolution was unimportant and members of Congress will not pay it any attention.

- Gina Smith

POINT OF SALE DELAYED

The Senate voted 26-16 Wednesday to postpone debate of pending point of sale legislation until later.

Senate Republicans said they are being held up by figures needed from the Board of Economic Advisers.

Democrats demanded a vote on the effort to carry over the bill. "We feel like this is an important matter, and it has the interest of the people of South Carolina," said Senate Minority Leader John Land, D-Clarendon.

Sen. Larry Martin, R-Pickens, said an agreement on the legislation still is being worked out, and was not yet ready for public discussion, though they plan to return to the measure as soon as possible.

- Roddie Burris

ELECTED SECRETARY OF STATE SURVIVES

The House narrowly avoided passage Wednesday of a resolution that would have moved the election of the secretary of state from the hands of voters and placed it as an appointive position by the governor.

The resolution failed by one vote to get the two-thirds majority it needed to pass, 82 to 34.

Under the measure, the secretary of state would have been appointed by the governor, with Senate advice and consent, and serve a term coinciding with the governor's term.

The secretary of state currently is elected by South Carolina voters on a separate ballot.

- Roddie Burris

ONLINE

- For fresh political and legislative news, visit thestate.com/politics and click on "S.C. Politics Today."

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- Also, find out how much state employees earn by clicking on "S.C. salary data" and searching the online list.