Tuesday Letters to the Editor

On USC football

Let us be clear: USC’s Board of Trustees and athletics director Ray Tanner are responsible for the $19 million dollar buyout clause in the contract of football head coach Will Muschamp.

If the trustees complain about paying for Muschamp’s buyout, we might ask them to explain why it was so high given Muschamp’s modest previous performance as Florida’s head coach — and his ongoing mediocre record as USC’s head coach.

Since the trustees are responsible for the buyout clause, they must choose between making a change or suffering several more years of rising losses and falling revenues.

Robert Oakman, Columbia

On Santee Cooper

I keep seeing headlines and social media posts that Santee Cooper is asking for a taxpayer bailout and to shift debt to taxpayers. This is false and misleading.

Santee Cooper buys insurance from three different insurance companies; one of those insurance companies is state-owned and the other two are private. Santee Cooper pays premiums to each of these companies for certain insurance coverage, much like we pay premiums for insurance on our vehicles and homes.

When certain events occur, we expect our insurance company to pay us. Why? Because the primary reason of paying premiums is to insure payments are available to us when we need them.

Similarly Santee Cooper believes certain payments are rightfully available to it, which is why it filed a lawsuit against the three insurance companies. The lawsuit is a dispute over coverage; it is not asking a state-owned agency to use tax proceeds to bail Santee Cooper out or shift debt to taxpayers.

Jennifer Wadford, Moncks Corner

On winter coats

For many here in Columbia, the recent blast of arctic cold weather was more than just a conversation starter; it posed an ominous threat to their fragile finances and their health.

More than one in five children in South Carolina live in poverty and more than 15 percent of families in our state live below the poverty line. Many other families struggle to make ends meet, and the need for warmer clothing combined with increased utility costs makes the winter months more expensive (and strains their already-strapped budgets).

As the CEO of an organization that collects and provides free coats to those in need, I am continually inspired by the generosity of my fellow Columbia residents who want to keep their neighbors warm and safe during the winter.

Each year volunteers throughout Columbia and across South Carolina organize coat drives to provide warmth to their neighbors. They are among a nationwide army of volunteers who organized more than 3,800 coat drives during the 2018-19 winter season

This year we are committed to trying something different: our organization is encouraging those who usually plan to support nonprofits at the end of the year to take action now so that their donations can have the maximum impact.

There are many ways that you can help:

▪ You can contribute to nonprofits that provide emergency heating assistance to those in need.

▪ You can give to one of the many organizations that provide housing, food and clothes to those who are struggling.

▪ You can also host or participate in one of our coat drives.

Please consider giving earlier to help ensure that your neighbors stay warm and safe during the winter.

Beth Amodio, Columbia

Amodio is the CEO of One Warm Coat, a national nonprofit that collects and provides free coats.