Since our founding in 2004, the SC Club for Growth has worked hard to find, help elect and then hold accountable fiscally conservative lawmakers.  With your help, our endorsed candidates have won 77% of their races and are making real progress in reforming our state government.

But much work remains to be done.

Every sitting legislator is up for re-election this year, so with the June primaries rapidly approaching, we offer you our first two endorsements of this cycle.

Senator Lee Bright (Senate District 12 – Spartanburg County)

Spartanburg Senator Lee Bright is one of South Carolina’s most fiscally conservative senators. Since we supported him in his 2008 election he has scored 100% on every SC Club for Growth Scorecard.

This bears repeating – of the 29 Senate votes that we have scored over the past three and a half years, Senator Bright has voted for the pro-growth reform position every single time!

He has faithfully fought against higher taxes and out of control spending, while working for government restructuring, tort reform and increased transparency.

After four years of fighting for us in Columbia, it is not surprising that Senator Bright has some enemies, especially amongst the personal injury lawyers.  As a result, they have recruited one of their own – former Senator John Hawkins – to run against Senator Bright in the Republican primary.

Hawkins is a personal injury lawyer (link to website here) who defeated then-challenger Bright by only 30 votes in 2004 and “retired” in 2008 rather than face Bright again.  Hawkins’ record during his eight years as a State Senator was terrible.

He consistently opposed Governor Sanford’s reform efforts, and even repeatedly voted for the Competitive Grants  program that editorial writers called a “legislative slush fund.”  This wasteful program used your taxes for non-core government functions like the “Piggie on the Rock Festival,” “The Hilarity Festival,” “Squealin’ on the Square” and “The Chitlin’ Strut.”

In 2010, this supposed “Republican” pubicly endorsed Democrat Senator Vincent Sheheen in the gubernatorial general election. Now, less than two-years later, he has the gall to run as a Republican.

Choices cannot get much clearer than this one.

Do we want a businessman and proven conservative overseeing spending, making laws and electing judges or, a good ole boy trial lawyer with a history of wasteful spending, killing reform and supporting Democrats for Governor?

The winner of this primary will win the general election and serve in the Senate through 2016, so the personal injury lawyers will spend heavily to try and win back this seat.

We have seen how that worked out before – so please join us in supporting Senator Bright with your generous contribution today.

Riley Harvell (Senate District 4 – Abbeville and Anderson Counties)

Riley Harvell is a Marine reservist who served in Iraq and returned to his hometown of Belton, SC where he and his wife are raising their two young children. He is a small business owner who has experienced first-hand the roadblocks government throws at individuals trying to start and grow a business.

Harvell also understands the importance of public service and the need for fiscal conservatives in office. We endorsed his father, Dan Harvell, six years ago in his run for the SC House of Representatives. Dan narrowly lost that race but he remained engaged in politics and now serves in an influential position as the Chairman of the Anderson County Republican Party.

Even though this is a very conservative district, it has been represented by a Democrat for the past 23 years. BillyO’Dell objects to being called a Democrat – but he was elected as one in 1989. He just changed his party affiliation in 2003, at the age of 65, to keep power after the Republicans became the Senate’s majority party. Unfortunately for his constituents, he only changed the letter behind his name – not how he votes.

Over the past 5 years, O’Dell has continued to earn an “F” with the SC Club for Growth Scorecard with an average score of 26.7. There is hardly a spending vote that O’Dell has been on the right side of, including supporting tens of millions for the aforementioned legislative slush fund, nearly a million dollars for a green bean museum, and even $3 million budget increase for the Senate in a year when teachers and police officers were being laid off because of budget cuts.

After over 20 years of being represented by a Democrat, it is time for this district to be represented by a real Republican. Harvell has already knocked on hundreds of doors, and can win this race if we help him raise the funds to get his message out to voters.

Please join us in generously supporting Riley Harvell in his run for Senate District 4, so that the fiscal conservative bloc of the Republican Party can pick up this crucial vote.

South Carolina Club for Growth PAC

This primary season we will likely only ask for you to contribute to five to eight campaigns, so that we can better target our collective resources to the place where they can have the maximum impact.

Your support of our PAC allows us to have a crucial impact in key races that will change our state government – and ultimately our state – for the better.  For example, four years ago, a sitting Senator (that we helped defeat) announced to his colleagues on the Senate floor that the work of the SC Club for Growth PAC was directly responsible for his loss.

However, we do not want to rest on our laurels. There are some great candidates in very tight races this spring. 

All investments in candidates and our PAC – no matter the size – help both the candidates themselves and the entire reform movement by showing the broadening base of support for taking back our state government.

Thanks in advance for any amount you can contribute.

Final Thoughts

At the end of last year’s legislative session, one of the state’s leading editorial boards wrote the following:

“For the state Senate, wait til next year’ appears to be a revolving promise of reform, full of hope and devoid of meaning.  Maybe it’s time to break up the team.”

We could not agree more.  While there are some reform-minded Senators like Lee Bright who we need to help return to office, it is time to break up much of the Senate team.  With your help, it can be done.

Cordially,

David Ellison, Chairman

P.S. – I know times are tough but we would not be successful without the generosity of friends like you who continue to selflessly invest with us to help some great candidates around the state. With all of the contributions, large and small, added together we really are making a significant difference. For that, I thank you. 

Please write your checks to the individual campaign or SC Club for Growth PAC and mail them to:

There is good news and bad news.

The good news is that on Tuesday the Senate, in a historic vote, finally eliminated the archaic Budget and Control Board. In its place they voted to implement a sensible structure similar to the one used by the forty-nine other states.

Senators Davis and Massey, who helped author this amendment, were strongly supported in their campaigns by the SC Club for Growth PAC and its members. It is clear by legislation like this that the investments of the PAC’s members and the PAC are paying off.

The bad news is that late yesterday seven “Republican” Senators voted with Democrats to create a five person Procurement Oversight Board. This board will consist of appointees of the Governor, the Comptroller General, the State Treasurer, the Chairman of Senate Finance and the Chairman of House Ways and Means.

Sound familiar? They are the very same members of the Budget and Control Board that was eliminated on Tuesday. 

Who are the seven “Republicans” who could not let one day pass without resurrecting a Budget and Control Board lite?

Senator Paul Campbell
Senator Ray Cleary
Senator Billy O’Dell
Senator Jake Knotts
Senator Thomas Alexander
Senator Luke Rankin
Senator Hugh Leatherman   

With elections approaching these seven senators will tell you that they voted for restructuring but remember this - the next day they turned around and voted against it.  

South Carolina took a huge step forward when the Budget and Control Board was eliminated. This progress needs to continue and not get slowed down with bureaucracy inducing amendments.

In 2002, Senator Thomas and other lawmakers passed S. 163 that allowed only legislators to begin taking their retirement while still in office.

In 2005, Senator Thomas began taking advantage of the special perk which allowed him to take home three times as much as other legislators.

Today, SC Club for Growth PAC announced its “Two Faced Thomas” education effort, intended to highlight the fact that Greenville’s Senator David Thomas is taking advantage of hardworking taxpayers.

Learn more by watching the video at www.twofacedthomas.com.

The South Carolina Club for Growth Applauds Governor Haley’s Budget Proposal

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Today the South Carolina Club for Growth issued the following statement after the release of Governor Haley’s budget proposal:

“For too long the General Assembly has spent more and more in years of increased revenue resulting in astronomical budgets,” stated Executive Director Phillip Cease. “Governor Haley’s budget proposal gives lawmakers a great blueprint for using finite resources responsibly and effectively while staying within a budget cap.”

“South Carolina has six income tax brackets, ranging from seven percent to zero percent. Governor Haley’s proposal eliminates three of the brackets giving most taxpayers a reduction while not increasing taxes. The proposal also contains a plan to phase out the corporate income tax over the next four years – reducing it by 25 percent a year,” added Cease. “In addition, Governor Haley offers innovative ideas such as encouraging counties to take responsibility for road maintenance and more than doubling this year’s required payment to the General Reserve Fund. Along with other conservative ideas such as bringing parity for charter schools closer to that of traditional public schools and fully funding law enforcement, enactment of the concepts laid out in this budget will benefit the citizens of South Carolina and make our state a better place to live, work and play.”

South Carolina Club for Growth is a network of South Carolinians, from all walks of life, who believe that prosperity and opportunity come through economic freedom. We work to promote public policies that promote economic growth primarily through legislative involvement, issue advocacy, research, training and educational activity.

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SC Club for Growth Announces a New Chairman of the Board and a new Executive Director

Columbia, SC – Today, the South Carolina Club for Growth (SCCG) announced Bill McAfee as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors and Phillip Cease as the new Executive Director.

Dr. Bauer Vaughters, outgoing Chairman, nominated McAfee at the last board meeting as his successor and introduced Cease as the new Executive Director.

Bill McAfee is the President and Chief Investment Officer of WMH Capital Advisors.  He graduated of the Citadel where he was a Battalion Executive Officer and Distinguished Naval Student and is an honor graduate of United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. McAfee has been published in professional journals and has been a featured guest on radio and television programs.

McAfee said, “I would like to thank Bauer for his service to the Board. He did an outstanding job promoting our core issues and helping elect true fiscal conservatives. I am looking forward to serving as Chairman and continuing to bring a more efficient, accountable and transparent government to the citizens of South Carolina.”

Phillip Cease, the new Executive Director of SCCG, graduated from the University of South Carolina. After graduation he worked in Governor Sanford’s office as a Policy Assistant and then the Washington Representative. After Governor Sanford’s term expired, Cease worked for Treasurer Curtis Loftis.

“I am very excited about working for the South Carolina Club for Growth,” stated Cease. “I strongly believe that limiting government spending, making state agencies more accountable and less red tape for small business and entrepreneurs will make South Carolina a better place to work, live and  play”

Vaughters said, “I would like to thank the Board the honor of serving as Chairman. We have built a strong foundation for 2012. Bill will do a wonderful job as chairman and Philip will bring a new perspective to the role of Executive Director.”

South Carolina Club for Growth is a network of South Carolinians, from all walks of life, who believe that prosperity and opportunity come through economic freedom. We work to promote public policies that promote economic growth primarily through legislative involvement, issue advocacy, research, training and educational activity.

* * *

Dear SC Club for Growth Members and Friends,

After years of waiting, a bill to create a Department of Administration (H.3066) is positioned for final passage in the Senate this week.

South Carolina is unique among the states in placing responsibility for critical back office functions – such as personnel, real estate, and technology – with a five-member Budget and Control Board. Moving these roles into a Department of Administration – managed by a cabinet-level director – will improve accountability and empower current and future governors to run the state more like a business.

The new Department of Administration will improve efficiency and effectiveness by:

* Establishing an Executive Budget Office to identify opportunities for agencies to share resources and eliminate redundancies

* Developing an enterprise-wide approach to information technology that will cut significant costs and improve service delivery

* Launching a strategic sourcing initiative to leverage agencies’ buying power in order to drive down prices and assure that the state’s business partners meet negotiated performance standards

* Optimizing the state’s use of its owned space, while cancelling unnecessary leases and selling off excess property

In the past few legislative sessions, advocates for reform have passed similar legislation through the House of Representatives only to have it stall in the State Senate. This year, we are closer than ever before to giving our governor the ability to act as the state’s chief executive – just as every other state does – but time is running out.

Please call (803-212-6700) or email your Senator today, and ask that the Senate pass the Department of Administration bill (H.3066) without further delay.

You can find your Senator’s contact information here:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/zipcodesearch.exe

As always, thank you for your generous support. We couldn’t do it without you. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,

Bauer Vaughters
Chairman
SC Club for Growth

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May 24, 2011

Dear SC Club for Growth Members and Friends,

School Choice legislation has emerged from a House Committee and will be debated on the floor tomorrow.
The long-term economic implications of the proposal are startlingly positive.

Parents would be extended a state income tax credit for out of pocket tuition expenses, and both corporate and individual donors could obtain credits for donations made to organizations providing low-income children with tuition scholarships. Initially, only transfer students and entering kindergarten students would be eligible.

The size of the maximum average tax credit, or tax credit funded tuition scholarship, will be $4,800. Compare that to a projected $11,754 in per-student funding in the public schools for next school year.

The bill does several important things to decrease the size of government and promote economic growth in the private sector:

1. Rewards and encourages families who send their children to private schools, reducing the size and scope of spending in the traditional public schools.

2. The size of the credits are such that the “loss” in revenue to the State will be less than the state’s reduced liability to public schools. This leaves more money in government coffers to fund traditional public schools without the need for tax hikes.

3. Begins the process of state support for, and funding of, students rather than schools. This is bridge toward so-called “smart funding” or “backpacking” of K12 dollars.

4. Breaks the defacto government monopoly over student instruction, the single largest expense in both the state and local government’s budgets.

5. Spurs innovation and improvement in private and public schools alike through the power of competition, raising student achievement and reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Passage of the legislation will constitute a major blow to the myth that only large and expensive government bureaucracies are capable of serving “public goods” through one-size-fits-all systems of rationing. A parent-driven education system is not only the best thing for students, it is the most economically and academically efficient.

Please, take a moment to call or email your lawmaker. Ask them to vote for the bill (H.3407), without amendment, and to rally their peers to do the same:

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/cgi-bin/zipcodesearch.exe

As always, thank you for your generous support. We couldn’t do it without you. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Sincerely,
Bauer Vaughters
Chairman
SC Club for Growth

WASHINGTON — Even by the standards of Capitol Hill, where the bonds of friendship form quickly and endure, the four Republican freshmen from South Carolina stand out.

They eat most dinners together (their newest find is Thai) and play basketball, poorly, in the House gym between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. They can be seen walking out of the Capitol into the afternoon sun, just to chat about family.

And they were together late Friday night, when they shared a prayer before going to the House floor to vote with a mere 24 other Republicans against a spending deal hatched by Democrats and Speaker John A. Boehner to keep the government running.

“We come from a state that is prepared to go at a quicker pace with respect to cutting and reshaping and resizing government,” said Representative Trey Gowdy of the South Carolina delegation, a former prosecutor.

The new lawmakers — Mr. Gowdy and Representatives Jeff Duncan, Mick Mulvaney and Tim Scott — are making their own mark, both within their freshman caucus, where they are well liked and respected (Mr. Scott is on the freshman leadership team), and among House leaders.

Read the Full Article at NYTimes.com