South Carolina Policy Council
From Sunshine Review
| South Carolina Policy Council | |
| 501(c)(3) | |
 | |
| Leadership: | Ashley Landess |
| Political party | Non partisan |
| Website | South Carolina Policy Council |
| Transparency Focus | |
| Recorded Votes Tracker | |
The South Carolina Policy Council (SCPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan public policy research and education foundation. Established in 1986, they focus on "innovative policy ideas that advance the principles of limited government and free enterprise."[1]
The organization primarily issues studies in these areas:
- Budget, Tax, and Fiscal Policy
- Economic Development
- Education
- Health Care
- Legislative Update
- Private Property
- Privatization and Efficiency in Government
- Tort Reform and Rule of Law.
[edit] SCPC advocates reforms
| Colorado SB 57 |
|---|
|
| "If you can't defend it, don't spend it" |
On February 2, 2009, the SCPC published a 32-page report calling for across-the-board transparency reforms in South Carolina
- Checkbook register online. The report calls for all South Carolina school districts to put their checkbook registers online in a searchable format.
- South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. The report calls for the state legislature to codify into law the opinions of the state's attorney general in order to "plainly state that any entity receiving any amount of public money either directly or indirectly is subject" to the provisions of the state's FOIA law.
- Excessive costs. The report calls for reform in the level of fees paid to government agencies for public documents.
- Taxpayer-funded lobbying. The report calls for a prohibition of this practice.
[edit] In the news
The SCPC made the news in December 2008 when they submitted identical South Carolina Freedom of Information Act requests to each of the state's 85 school districts. In all, the school districts quoted costs of over $400,000 to supply the requested documents. Beaufort County School District quoted the highest fee, at $214,000. [4] More here.
The SCPC was quoted in a September 2009 Post and Courier article for their opposition to taxpayer-funded lobbying in South Carolina[5].
[edit] External links
- South Carolina Policy Council
- SCPC Transparency Report,
- Budget and Control Board Billing Should be Transparent, Competitive.
- Innovista: State-Driven Economy Struggling Despite $140 Million in Taxpayer Support.
- 2009 General Assembly Voted Anonymously 75 Percent of the Time.
- Proposed Cigarette Tax Increase to Cost South Carolina 4,100 Private Sector Jobs.
- State Program Spends Millions Despite Expired Legislative Authorization.
[edit] References
- ↑ South Carolina Policy Council About Us
- ↑ Transparency report released
- ↑ Making way for roll call votes
- ↑ Beaufort District submits highest bill for providing information, Beaufort Gazette, December 9, 2008
- ↑ The Post and Courier, Schools defend lobbying costs
