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.

* * *

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

Columbia, SC – SC Club for Growth today released its 2009-2010 Legislative Scorecards, awarding its “Taxpayer Hero” award to sixteen representatives and seven senators who earned top grades in their respective chambers. “Taxpayer Hero” awardees include now-Governor Nikki Haley and now-freshmen Congressmen Jeff Duncan, Mick Mulvaney, and Tim Scott.

Legislators’ ratings (view scorecards here) were based on critical economic and good government votes in the South Carolina House and Senate. The scorecards are publicized to the media, SC Club for Growth members, and South Carolina voters. Additionally, the scorecards serve as the basis for SC Club for Growth PAC endorsements. In the past two election cycles, SC Club for Growth PAC has a 75% win record and its members have contributed nearly $1 million to reform-minded candidates.

Club Chairman Bauer Vaughters commented, “SC Club for Growth’s scorecards are the true measure of where legislators stand on spending, good government, and reform. In the past it has been too easy for public officials to say one thing to people back home while voting differently in Columbia – which is why we track important votes and spread the word about legislators’ real records.

“Voters have made it clear that they want fiscally conservative reforms in state government. With every Representative and Senator back up for election in less than 18 months, we are hopeful that a new legislative session will bring more than just lip service to the reforms our state desperately needs.”

2009-2010 FAST FACTS

-  16 Representatives and 7 Senators (listed below) earned “Taxpayer Hero” awards for earning “A” or “B” grades, ranking them in approximately the top 15% of all legislators.

-  49 Democrat Representatives and 19 Democrat Senators earned “Taxpayer Nightmare” awards for earning “F” grades.

- 22 Republican Representatives and 12 Republican Senators earned “Taxpayer Nightmare” awards for earning “F” grades.

Senate

- The average Democrat score was “5.5.”

- The average Republican score was “36.5.”

- Senators endorsed by the Club PAC in 2008 had an average score of “82.”

- 12 Democrats and 1 Republican had a score of “0.”

“Taxpayer Heroes” in the SC Senate

Sen. Lee Bright
Sen. Kevin Bryant
Sen. Tom Davis
Congressman Mick Mulvaney
Sen. Mike Rose
Sen. Greg Ryberg
Sen. Phil Shoopman

House

- The average Democrat score was “21.”

- The average Republican score was “47.”

- Representatives endorsed by the Club PAC in 2010 had an average score of “88.”

“Taxpayer Heroes” in the SC House

Rep. Nathan Ballentine
Rep. Eric Bedingfield
Congressman Jeff Duncan
Governor Nikki Haley
Rep. Dan Hamilton
Rep. Joey Millwood
Rep. Wendy Nanney
Rep. Ralph Norman
Rep. Ted Pitts
Rep. Rex Rice
Congressman Tim Scott
Rep. Garry Smith
Rep. Jim Stewart
Rep. Tommy Stringer
Rep. Michael Thompson
Rep. Thad Viers

2009-2010 SCORECARD METHODOLOGY

SC Club for Growth publishes these scorecards so our members and the public can monitor the actions and the voting behavior of South Carolina legislators on economic growth policies. The Club conducted a comprehensive examination of each lawmaker’s voting record and computed on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100 indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies. Those lawmakers earning “A” or “B” grades in their respective chamber receive the Taxpayer Hero award. The rating examines legislative actions that affect our immediate pro-economic growth policy goals, including:

* Promoting economic freedom
* Lowering the tax burden on South Carolina families
* Creating an efficient and accountable state government
* Cutting and limiting state government spending
* Protecting South Carolina small businesses from red tape
* Reforming our pension system and entitlement programs to avoid unfunded liabilities
* Giving educational choice to South Carolina parents

Note: Not all of these policy goals will come up for votes in each legislative session.

Votes in the 2011 legislative session will be included in the all-new 2011-2012 scorecard.

Computation

The Club’s rating includes 30 House and 19 Senate roll call votes that advance or harm pro-growth policies. Scores are computed on a scale of 0 to 100. Each vote or action in the rating is assigned a certain number of points depending on its relative importance. To provide some additional guidance concerning the scores, each lawmaker was ranked. Scores and ranks cannot be directly compared between the House and Senate as different votes were taken in each chamber.

Additional Factors

A study of roll call votes on the floor of the House and Senate and legislative actions is just that. It cannot account for a lawmaker’s work in committee, advocacy in his party’s caucus meetings, and effectiveness as a leader in advocating pro-growth policies.

Tuesday was a historic day for pro-growth fiscal conservatives. Across our state, voters made it clear that they are tired of out of control spending, bailouts and no reform. The result? With your and SC Club for Growth PAC’s help, Club-endorsed candidates from all walks of life won critical victories. Here are some SC Club-related facts and figures from the now-complete 2010 election cycle:

- Candidates endorsed by SC Club for Growth PAC won a staggering 26 of their 30 elections.

- Our PAC raised over $350,000 that went directly to candidates. Many of those dollars were invested at critical junctures and in some cases probably made the difference between winning and losing.

- Club-endorsed reformers Nikki Haley, Curtis Loftis and Richard Eckstrom now hold a majority of seats on the powerful state Budget and Control Board. With their majority, they plan to revamp how and why our state spends your tax dollars.

- Governor-elect Haley was consistently the highest scorer on the Club’s “Legislative Scorecards” over the past few years. Her work to reform state government will continue as governor.

- New, reform-minded S.C. House members forced many “anti-reformers” into retirement and defeated even more in elections. In January, we expect the reformers to begin to tackle some of South Carolina’s most challenging problems.

And finally,

- Three newly elected U.S. House members, Tim Scott, Jeff Duncan and Mick Mulvaney, were previously supported by the SC Club and this year received huge investments from the national Club for Growth. These reformers now represent half of South Carolina’s Congressional delegation after consistently earning “A” grades on our “Legislative Scorecards” over the past few years.

We are proud of these candidates’ hard work and want to sincerely thank them for defending taxpayers. At the bottom of this message you can find a full list of winning candidates endorsed by SC Club for Growth PAC.

In closing, THANK YOU. SC Club for Growth PAC’s efforts are funded through the contributions of hundreds of South Carolinians like you who are fed up with politicians saying one thing at home and doing another once in Columbia. As you’ve seen, our PAC chooses elections where your collective investments can make THE difference in electing strong, fiscal conservative reformers.

Today I’m proud to announce that over the past three election cycles, our members have contributed over $1 MILLION to the PAC’s endorsed candidates who won over 75% of their races.

With your help, South Carolina now begins a generation defined by fiscally conservative, reform-minded leadership. We will remain diligent in reforming our state government, but for now, thank you.

Please let me know if you have any thoughts or questions. We’ll be in touch very soon with more ways you can help.

Sincerely,
Matt Moore
Executive Director, SC Club for Growth PAC

—–

Nikki Haley for Governor
Curtis Loftis for Treasurer
Richard Eckstrom for Comptroller General
Mick Zais for Superintendent of Education

Tim Scott for CD 1
Jeff Duncan for CD 3
Mick Mulvaney for CD 5

Tom Corbin for House 17 (Greenville Co.)
Tommy Stringer for House 18 (Greenville Co.)
Dan Hamilton for House 20 (Greenville Co.)
Wendy Nanney for House 22 (Greenville Co.)
Eric Bikas for House 26 (Pickens and Greenville Cos.)
Garry Smith for House 27 (Greenville Co.)
Eric Bedingfield for House 28 (Greenville Co.)
Bill Chumley for House 35 (Spartanburg Co.)
Ralph Norman for House 48 (York Co.)

Thad Viers for House 68 (Horry Co.)
Kevin Ryan for House 108 (Georgetown Co.)
Andy Patrick for House 123 (Beaufort Co.)

Rick Quinn for House 69 (Lexington Co.)
Nathan Ballentine for House 71 (Richland and Lexington Cos.)

Tomorrow’s elections are absolutely critical. We have a chance to make our collective voices heard – voices that will tell our elected leaders to stop the outrageous spending and refocus government’s priorities in Washington and in Columbia.

Since you might be too busy to study every race, our Fall 2010 Election Guide can be found below. Many of these races are VERY close, so by sending this email to just TEN friends you could make THE difference in electing pro-growth fiscal conservatives.

While you may not agree with some or all of the recommendations, we hope you will find them helpful and forward the ones you agree with to your friends, co-workers, and family members with a personal request for them to vote on Tuesday.

As Chris Chocola, president of the national Club for Growth, said earlier today…”Club for Growth members are among the smartest and most informed voters in the nation, whether it’s a Senate race or a race for county clerk. Please remember to share that knowledge today and tomorrow with your friends, neighbors and relatives.

I know you will vote, but please make it your goal to get every freedom-loving person you know to vote too. Take them to the polls if necessary. Email every friend you know. Remind them to vote. We need to maximize turnout tomorrow.”

SC Club for Growth PAC

Fall 2010 Club for Growth-endorsed Candidates

Governor - Nikki Haley has consistently been the top-ranked legislator on our scorecards. Recent attacks by shadowy special interest groups show just how scared the ”good ole boys” in Columbia are of her – which should demonstrate how badly we need Nikki Haley in the governor’s office. She is absolutely committed to changing the way things have been done for too long.

Education Supt. - Mick Zais has an outstanding track record and will make an excellent Superintendent of Education. This election is VERY close and your vote matters. Without a reformer like Zais in office, it will be more of the same from the Dept. of Education. Zais has promised to clean house and focus more dollars on classrooms.

Comptroller General - Richard Eckstrom has worked tirelessly to improve transparency and control outrageous spending as a key vote on the Budget and Control Board; we need him to remain in office to advance the reforms proposed by Nikki Haley, Curtis Loftis, and others.

Treasurer (unopposed) - Curtis Loftis is a very successful businessman/1st time candidate. His will give South Carolina’s “reformers” (including Haley and Eckstrom) the majority of votes on the very important Budget and Control Board.

Congress – 5th District (Pee Dee) Mick Mulvaney stands on the brink of defeating U.S. House Budget Chairman John Spratt. It’s no surprise that voters support Mulvaney’s ideas for balancing the budget and fostering job creation – he has consistently earned “A” grades from SC Club for Growth and is endorsed by the national Club for Growth. This race is REALLY close and turnout could make the difference.

Congress – 1st District (Charleston to Myrtle Beach) Tim Scott is a true public servant who earned an “A” on our scorecard and has been endorsed by the national Club for Growth. He’s a rising star in American politics.

Congress – 3rd District (Upstate – Aiken to Greenville) In the S.C. House, Jeff Duncan consistently earned “A” grades on our scorecards. With the national Club for Growth’s help he won a hard-fought primary this summer and will be a fiscal conservative stalwart in the U.S. House.

SC House of Representatives:

Upstate

Coast