Opinions from around South Carolina: bond bill, police video, DOT reform

Bond bill

The fate of a proposed bond bill is uncertain in the South Carolina Senate, and it is unfortunate that the $236 million borrowing package may fall victim to politics. … (A) solid case can be made for South Carolina to return to the practice of funding long-term projects built for the general good with low-interest general obligation bonds.

Very few people could even dream of writing a check to cover the entire purchase of a new home. They get a mortgage, make monthly payments and consider this a great investment because for decades they will reap the rewards of their purchase. The same principle applies for a state or local government constructing big-ticket facilities that will have lasting value.

A proposed bond bill was about demagogued to death earlier this year. Despite the political rhetoric coming from Gov. Nikki Haley and some lawmakers, there is nothing wrong with state and local governments paying for long-term capital needs with general obligation bonds. In fact, there’s much right with this approach if the debt is used for proven needs.

Police video

Last year, a North Augusta police officer pursued a black man for nine miles in an attempt to stop him. With his blue lights flashing, the officer followed the 68-year-old man into his driveway. The officer exited his patrol car and fired several rounds through the closed door, killing the man. The officer told Edgefield County deputies — the chase crossed county lines, bringing the deputies into the incident — the man had tried to grab his gun. The officer’s dashcam video apparently sheds some light on the case and does not appear to jibe with the officer’s own account of events. That video, however, was shared with few people, including attorneys, and all — including the attorneys — were told not to discuss the video’s content under threat of legal action against them.

Why the silence? Why can this particular video from last year not be shared with the public when it only took a matter of days to share the North Charleston dashcam?

DOT reforms

Recent legislative sessions have seen some movement toward state government reform, but so far this year looks like a bust. It could turn out even worse.

The General Assembly is in serious danger of backsliding on an earlier reform of the state Department of Transportation. Without legislative action, the Cabinet-level position of secretary of transportation will be terminated at the end of June under a sunset provision of a 2007 law.

If that happens, the head of the DOT will again become an employee of the state highway commission. That would be the opposite of reform.

▪ “Only mothers can think of the future — because they give birth to it in their children.”

▪ “Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.”

This story was originally published May 9, 2015 at 7:51 PM with the headline "Opinions from around South Carolina: bond bill, police video, DOT reform."