The South Carolina General Assembly will convene Tuesday, facing one of the toughest years ever in terms of a lack of funds and greater need.
Our struggles, like those of other states, the federal government and local government, are well documented.
And, of course, along with that, we have big problems with job losses and the spin-off issues that creates.
Needless to say, funding state government will be a difficult task.
Cuts continue at state agencies, including colleges, universities and at local school districts.
One legislator observed that this year’s session might be easier than when there is plenty of money to fight about with everybody wanting a share.
That’s probably true to a certain extent.
But what we would hope is that in these difficult times the General Assembly members try to look beyond our immediate needs and look for ways to help our state move forward.
Because even when “things get better,” we still face our many problems and because of the economic downturn, they will be magnified.
And, as we are painfully aware in the Pee Dee, the state’s problems are magnified in our part of the state.
In other words, take the time this year to look at big issues such as state government restructuring, education, health care, job creation and infrastructure funding.
All of these things get talked about, and in some cases, there is piecemeal legislation.
On our op-ed page today, Harris DeLoach, head of Sonoco in Hartsville, talks about issues the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce thinks are important.
Op-Ed columnist Andy Brack urges legislators to set big priorities and try and find ways to deal with them.
House Speaker Bobby Harrell in an op-ed column on our Web site gives his take on the issues.
What we would hope for is that a few things take place immediately.
One of those is a big increase in the tax on cigarettes so we can use that money to match a huge amount of federal money that we leave on the table.
And this money should be used to help pay for health care costs and programs to help people quit smoking.
Gov. Mark Sanford doesn’t think there is the political will for an effort to look at an overhaul of our entire tax structure.
He proposes some steps he thinks will help.
We’d like to see an effort at least two years long to come up with a big picture look and recommendations for change.
In the meantime, there will be plenty of partisan bickering and posturing.
Maybe this year the situation will push legislators to think long term.
But past economic downturns haven’t helped.
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