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.