The General Assembly, except for a brief session, has finished its business for the year.
A few good things were accomplished — stronger laws against drunk driving was one.
Another was the passage of a bill to extend health care coverage to more children without insurance.
In the tight economic times lots of programs or money to agencies was cut as well.
Unfortunately, it tended to be done in an across the board manner rather than targeted.
Two agencies, the State Department of Education and the Department of Corrections, are looking at deficits they will have to make up with more cuts.
And this issue has created a concern by Gov. Mark Sanford that the budget is unbalanced which is unconstitutional.
Others, including key legislators, disagree.
But this again shows what we are facing in our state regarding disputes on issues like this rather than facing the real problem — funding cuts for key agencies.
Our biggest concern is that once again the legislature passed a bill to increase the cigarette tax and it was overridden by the governor and then upheld.
The question is that not only would this tax have helped fund needed health care and other programs we leave millions of dollars in federal money on the table because we can’t match it.
So, again, an issue that a huge majority in South Carolina favor doing something about goes undone.
And the concern over how to pay for health care isn’t dealt with either.
Let’s hope next year we can get the cigarette tax passed and the money can be used wisely.
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