SCHotline

Dear Mr. Foster,

Thank you for raising these points. As the computer feasibility study is currently the only EOC PACT reform under discussion, I stand by this statement. Regarding the NCLB data, I took this directly from the SC Policy Council report of February 2007.

I will walk you through the report if you would like me to, but I stand by that statement as well.

In the event you would like to set up a time to meet, I am happy to sit down with you personally to discuss these issues.

Sincerely,

A. Citizen

TO: SCHotline
FROM: Jim Foster
Director of Public Information
State Department of Education

A recent SCHotline news item (link below) reported on a new state
contract with Data Recognition Corp., a company the story said is being
paid to “oversee reforms” to South Carolina’s PACT tests. To the best
of my knowledge, that statement is incorrect. My understanding is that
DRC’s assignment is not to “reform PACT,” but rather to study the
feasibility and costs of computerized testing in South Carolina’s public
school system. You can check this with the Budget and Control Board’s
Materials Management Office, which oversaw the awarding of the contract.

Your story also said PACT “fails to meet federal No Child Left Behind
reporting standards,” and that is incorrect, too. In fact, South
Carolina was the first state in the nation to win NCLB approval for its
testing system. Here’s the link to our news release:
http://ed.sc.gov/news/more.cfm?articleID=614

And here’s the link to your original story:

Here is a link to Act 254, the law passed by the General Assembly that
required the feasibility study being performed by DRC:
http://scstatehouse.net/sess116_2005-2006/bills/4328.htm

Here’s how Act 254 begins:

SECTION 1
Computerized assessments allow for rapid reporting of assessment
results and can provide for more accurate information regarding student
achievement in a shorter period of time. To begin positioning South
Carolina for delivery of state assessments by the computer, the Budget
and Control Board shall issue a request for proposals for the purpose of
conducting a study on the feasibility and cost of converting the state
assessment program to a computer-based or computer-adaptive format. The
study must include, but is not limited to, the following:

In today’s Political Diary:

Here’s a Republican candidate for president you’ve probably never heard of: John Cox of Illinois. Mr. Cox is a self-made millionaire businessman and former head of the Cook County Republicans who’s been stumping in New Hampshire and Iowa trying to capitalize on the disaffection that voters feel toward the big three: Messrs. Giuliani, Romney and McCain.

Mr. Cox stopped by our offices this week and I must say he has a good story to tell. He’s trying to run a Steve Forbes-style renegade campaign and is promoting the Forbes constellation of issues. These include health savings accounts, term limits, private Social Security accounts, free trade, pro-life and government spending control. He’s even to the right of the flat tax-loving Mr. Forbes on tax reform: He wants to abolish the IRS income tax system. “It’s my No. 1 issue, by far,” he says of his travels through the hinterlands of Iowa and New Hampshire.

It would be easy to write Mr. Cox off as a political non-entity except that he has attracted committee chairs in 30 states and has 130 volunteer county chairmen in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. In New Hampshire, he even has Pat Buchanan’s old office space. And he’s already spent close to $1 million, with more money to pump in — though he quickly adds: “I don’t have the dollars to kick in that Forbes had.”

“The Republican primary voters in these early primary states are despondent that there’s no real conservative in the top tier of candidates,” he says. On that issue, I suspect he’s on the mark, and don’t be surprised if a conservative emerges from the second tier of candidates to take on the big boys. That’s likely to be Newt Gingrich or perhaps Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, but you may also start hearing the name John Cox a lot more in the months ahead.

– Stephen Moore

The State Firday,Feb. 23, 2007

The caption for your article is not the correct statement. The counties can pay for all its needed services that it has now with the inflation factor plus population growth. The growth will pay for the present and expanded services two ways: As more businesses are built and more homes are built they will be at a higher value , more property tax revenue. This will pay for additional services as the county grows.

The counties already have more services than are needed. I have lived at my present address for 22 years and every year property taxes go up. Our property taxes dropped in 1998 with the relief the Legislators gave us , but has increased 400% by 2006 in only 8 years. My services have not increased in 22 years. I pay for garbage pickup and have a well for good water and a septic tank for sewer.

The counties could charge IMPACT FEES to the builders for more fire stations, etc. as the new homes and commercial buildings are the cause for the need . They will not do this because they sold out to the builder lobbyists. The counties could impose a business tax for their pork barrel wants, but they sold out to the chamber of commerce lobbyists. The county council wants the taxpayers to foot the pork barrel projects. There is too much tax money being spent now. They also want to put a $25.00 road fee ( fees are still taxes ) on all our vehicles so they can pave private maintained roads and then take then as more costly upkeep for the taxpayers . The people who built on these private maintained roads knew where they were building. The counties can not keep the paved roads up now so why pave more.

The cap was put on the local governments’ millage rates because they have not shown any restraints on spending when they were given home rule The local governments are crying because they can not tax and spend at will for all their PORK BARREL and PET PROJECT WANTS .Examples are : Pelion airport ,Funding a go for broke airlines and all the empty buildings they have built. They also talk about funding a no answer to anyone but Mayor Coble bus line.

The State paper said “The effect of the law could be that cities, towns and counties may be able to maintain the current level of services, but won’t be able to add new services, no matter how much they are desired or needed. ” Do we need any more pork projects at the tax payers expense? Quoting councilman Smoky Davis “With the new restrictions by state law, every county is going to have to do with what we’ve got.” That is how every citizen in South Carolina has to live .We live with what we got and need not what we want. That is why our Legislators put a cap on the millage rate and let the people decide with a vote on capping the reassessment in the South Carolina Constitution . This was done because the Legislators knew the local Government’s and Schoolboard’s would not slow down on spending on their own accord. The Legislators gave us the relief in 1998, but the local government’s kept spending out of control anyway. That was the only way the local government’s could be restrained in their wanton spending .

The Legislators have not completed their task until all the taxes are eliminated from our primary homes and the fear of losing them in our twilight years. This could be done a very simple way, as the tax law is already on the books. Increase the deed stamp to pay for taxes and earmark the increase to pay them off or simply they could be taken off with the budget surplus that we have. They also need to give us the vote to keep it off with a constitutional amendment. Property taxes on our primary homes collected by the local government will only be 18 –20 per cent of the total property taxes.

David Whetsell
President stoptax
www.stoptax.org
Lexington , S.C. 803-957-8694

We Pick Presidents

Hillary Clinton, U-S Senator from New York, is a frontrunner in the race for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. NewsChannel 15’s Jim Heath was the only local television journalist invited to speak to Clinton in Florence this week in what was her historic first visit here as a presidential candidate. The interview can be seen in a two part Special Report “A Conversation with Hillary Clinton” airing tonight and Thursday on NewsChannel 15 at 11.

Jim Heath: Senator, very nice to see you.

Hillary Clinton: It’s nice to be here.

Heath: You are a Democratic candidate for president. But many South Carolinians may be interested in learning you started your political career as a “Goldwater Girl.” Tell us about that.

Clinton: I did. Well, back in the presidential campaign of 1964, I was a great admirer of Barry Goldwater. I thought his emphasis on individual responsibility was exactly in line with the way I was raised. And I supported him strongly in that election and I was a ‘Goldwater Girl’. I actually got to meet him at one of the big rallies that he came in to the Chicago area to do. My political beliefs and opinions kind of evolved to see we needed more of a balance, to try to make sure we didn’t leave people who were hurt or sick or otherwise out of the mainstream of American life behind. But I’m still a very great admirer of him.

Heath: We recently asked national pollster John Zogby about his poll that compared you to former presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. What do you think of that comparison?

Clinton: Well, that’s flattering, but this is the beginning of a very long journey. Obviously we have a long campaign ahead of us. I’m going to work hard to earn the vote of as many people in South Carolina and across the country that I can. But, for me, it’s not about the campaigning, it’s about the governing. The country faces some very difficult challenges. I’m running because I think I’m well qualified to hit the ground and start dealing with those in January, 2009. But I’m also running to try to enlist more citizens on behalf of our country. So I’m very excited about the campaign so far, but I know it’s just the beginning of a very long process.

Heath: One of your opponents, John Edwards, has stated he believes you have a moral obligation to apologize for your vote to take us into war in Iraq. You’ve been reluctant to do so. Why?

Clinton: Well, I’ve taken responsibility for my vote, and I’ve called on the president and his team to take responsibility because clearly they went headlong into this war without adequate planning or even understanding about what they were getting our country into. But I think the real issue now is where do we go from here? I think the Democrats need to work together in the Congress, and we need to chart a new course. We need to enlist like minded Republicans and Americans to say, ‘this is not working to the benefit or the interests of our country.’ And we need the Iraqis to take more responsibility.

Heath: As a Senator from New York, does it still bother you that five plus years after the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden has not been brought to justice?

Clinton: Well, it bothers me greatly. I’ve been to Afganistan three times just like I’ve been to Iraq three times, and on each of my trips to Afganistan, I have sought out the best advice I can from people on the frontlines in that country, Pakistan, and our military. For the life of me, I don’t understand why Bin Laden is basically at large and we had reports today that clearly he is funding some of the training camps that are sending the Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters across the border to do battle with our NATO forces, and with the new Afgan army. So, this is a very serious matter. I would have never diverted attention from Afganistan and the hunt for Bin Laden until we had gotten the job done, and I’d like to see it done now.

Heath: Everyone is asking what former President Bill Clinton will do in a Hillary Clinton administration. Have you given that some thought?

Clinton: Well, one of the things I admire about our presidential system is that presidents use former presidents. I’ve been very pleased that our current president has called upon my husband, along with his father, to help on a number of important issues around the world. I will certainly call upon the former presidents, and I think the work Bill has done in the last years, with his foundation and his outreach to other countries, gives us a leg up in terms of rebuilding the alliances that we need in order to be successful in leading the world.

Heath: Many say if Hillary Clinton can win here in South Carolina, the nomination is yours. If you can hold off John Edwards who was born here and won the state in ‘04, and Barack Obama who is attracting large crowds. How much importance do you put in South Carolina?

Clinton: Well, I have a great personal fondness for South Carolina. My husband and I have vacationed and visited here over many years. I have a lot of friends, I’m hoping to make a lot of new friends. I see South Carolina as an important state because of the issues it presents, and I would hope to do very well here. I’m not going to make any predictions because we have a strong field of people who are competing here and elsewhere. But I’ve been heartened by my trip here today both in Columbia and here in Florence.

Heath: Why do you want to be the next President of the United States?

Clinton: I believe that my experience and qualifications uniquely equip me to take office in January, 2009. To do what is necessary to face the challenges we have here at home in health care, energy, the environment, education and so many others. And to restore America’s greatness and leadership in the world.

Heath: Senator, I suspect we’ll see much more of you here in the year ahead. Thank you.

Clinton: Thank you very much.

Our exclusive special report “A Conversation with Hillary Clinton” airs tonight and tomorrow on NewsChannel 15 at 11. Clinton is the former First Lady of the United States. She has not officially announced her bid to seek the Democratic nomination in 2008. See the story at www.wpde.com/politics

By Andrew Citizen

Columbia, S.C. – February 22, 2007 – The same company that currently reaps millions of dollars to grade South Carolina’s controversial Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) has now been awarded a contract to oversee reforms to the test. Minnesota-based Data Recognition Corporation, which is represented in South Carolina by political heavyweight Warren Tompkins’ lobbying firm, Tompkins Kinard & Associates, won a $54 million contract in 2003 to grade the PACT.

Now, that same company has been awarded an $825,000 contract to recommend PACT reforms, an arrangement some consider a conflict of interest.

“Now that’s the fox guarding the henhouse,” said former State Board of Education member Terrye Seckinger.

Legislators agreed.

“I would be more interested in hearing a fresh perspective on PACT than hearing from someone who has been providing PACT services for years,” said State Rep. Phillip Shoopman, a former member of the State Board of Education. “I have yet to meet a teacher who is thrilled with PACT, so going back to that well doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Yes, they do have both of the contracts,” said Dr. JoAnne Anderson, Executive Director of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. “I understand there are some concerns but I have to respect the procurement process.”

Tompkins’ firm declined to comment.

PACT has come under intense criticism in the education community because it is not a “diagnostic” test, meaning it fails to provide teachers and parents with real-time results of children’s academic performance. It also fails to identify specific areas where children may need additional individual instruction.

As Spartanburg School District 3 Superintendent Dr. Jim Ray was recently quoted as saying, “PACT is useless as an instructional tool.”

PACT also fails to meet federal No Child Left Behind reporting standards and does not allow administrators to accurately compare our children’s academic progress with the progress of children in other states. Additionally, PACT is among the nation’s most expensive assessment tests, with its lengthy and error-prone grading process forcing South Carolina to spend as much as three or four times the per pupil testing amount spent by other states.

According to February 2007 report by the South Carolina Policy Council, “PACT has served as a cloak behind which major failures are hidden” because it “offers a distorted view of educational progress.” The report also states that PACT “has not provided the context for (state-to-state) comparison, nor can it prescribe the details needed to construct a plan for instructional reform.”

Newly-elected State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex has garnered positive newspaper headlines by saying that the option of eliminating PACT will remain “on the table.”

Those comments have provoked skepticism from the Education Oversight Committee.

“I think he’s trying to waffle,” Dr. Anderson said. “If you read his transition team report it doesn’t say ‘don’t (use) PACT.’ But then if the newspaper asks him he says that nothing is off the table. I think he’s just working real hard to try and include everybody right now.”

By Louis Neiger, CLU 02-20-2007

We empathize with the homeowners on the coast of South Carolina where Allstate, S.C. Farm Bureau and State Farm are dropping nearly 20,000 Homeowners Insurance policies since August 2006. These companies are dropping them to minimize their exposure if a storm hits.

I am appalled at what I am hearing from politicians, the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, and builders from the Grand Strand. The politicians would like to expand the wind pool for homeowners who can’t get coverage because of the high risk of exposure. The wind pool covers a small sliver of land near the ocean. This system allows insurers to spread the risk with all the other homeowner policy owners in South Carolina that has insurance with a particular insurance company to keep the cost low for the folks living on this sliver of land..

The politicians along the coast would like to expand this current hurricane insurance area to include all counties of Horry, Georgetown, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Colleton, Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber stated that “The problem has gotten so big it is scaring people away – which could hurt a state dependent on the $16 Billion tourism industry” and Doug Wendel, president and CEO of Burroughs & Chapin Co. Inc. feels the issue is chasing away investors, with more than 8000 condos for sale. Senator McConnell said, “ If the economy collapses on the coast, it will affect the entire state.” Grand Strand leaders are saying everyone in the state benefits from the taxes generated by the coast’s booming industry, which will suffer if an insurance fix isn’t found.

My dear friends along the Strand, Newberry county property owners have just received a devastating tax increase from one to two hundred percent on our property taxes because of mismanagement from our county council. Many homes have gone up for sale. People are borrowing money to pay the tax. Our county council appears to be looking for ways to cut back the taxes. We chose to live here in Newberry, because of real friendly folks, growth has not been excessive, and taking a smaller risk of the weather affecting our way of life. Most of you folks along the Strand have chosen to live there. You have assumed the higher risk for the enjoyment to be near the ocean, knowingly moving to a flood-plain elevation.

Mr. Wendel’s statement of 8000 condos being vacant and the problem being insurance chasing away investors is inaccurate to a point. Insurance may be part of the problem but to have such a large glut of surplus condos is telling me there is mismanagement from the counties. Someone did not plan ahead. These condos for investors are a higher risk for insurance companies than for homeowners because of the long periods of time an investment condo may be left vacant.

Mr. Dean and Senator McConnell’s statement that any loss of the $16 billion tourism industry would hurt the entire state is correct. However, if a major storm came through it would be devastating anyway even if you did or did not have the quick fix on insurance. It would still take years to recover. I would also like to note that part of the $16 Billon tourism industry tax is from folks like me that vacation along the strand and invite family, friends and business associates from around the country. We already spend some of our hard earned money there. I do not want to pay an additional hidden tax by having my homeowner insurance rates further increased to pay for the expansion of the wind pool area. Leave the current wind pool area as is.

I strongly suggest not looking at the quick fix band-aid approach but start thinking outside the box. Do not let the insurance companies dictate terms of how they want to maximize their profits. Ask them what could help them other than increasing the wind pool area to stabilize affordable insurance. One idea would be to increase the minimum deductible in these areas to $2500 - $5000.

Allow the folks in these homes to provide money on a tax-deductible or some tax incentive basis to make their property more resistant to storm damages.

I have researched ways to make my home in Newberry more wind and rain resistant. Wind damage accounts for only a fraction of the destruction. The greatest destruction is caused by water infiltration, not catastrophic structure failure. I have read of new nails for hurricane area buildings that will withstand uplift forces of over 271 lbs / square foot. There are other new innovative ways to make buildings more resistant to hurricanes.

One of the web sites PATH a public-private partnership for advancing housing technology http://www.pathnet.org/sp.asp?id=12387 had some great ideas. Look at installing front doors that swing out instead of into the house. Out-swinging doors are more resistant to wind loads and do a better job preventing water infiltration. I have also read permanent or removable shutters reduce forces on the structure and minimize water and wind related damages to the interior by protecting windows. Using hurricane straps by lining up bracing and tie-downs at critical load points to maintain the integrity of the load path. Use baffled ridge vents and off-ridge vents instead of unbaffled vents. Unbaffled vents tend to allow wind-driven moisture to enter attic spaces or the cavities of cathedral ceilings, causing moisture damage and mold growth. Use light-gauge steel straps to anchor the first story to the foundation. Install a natural gas powered generator in the home. Homes subject to water infiltration can more easily prevent mold growth and rot if they dry out quickly. Generators allow fans and dryers to be used quickly after a hurricane, when electrical power is usually gone, often for extended periods. Apply elastomeric sealant at concrete walls. These finish coatings prevent water absorption during heavy storms. Pay special attention to seal at the wall’s snap-tie locations. Extend fascia board to terminate below the underside of the soffit. This helps keep water out of the eaves. Additional reinforcing by adding steel reinforcing around windows and sliding glass doors helps keep these units in place during high winds. If replacing a roof, a secondary roof covering, using peel-and-stick roof underlayment mitigates water intrusion if roof shingles are lost.

I have great confidence in our legislature and governor to speak to experts on ways to help minimize this problem along the Grand Strand. We do not have to increase the burden on every one else in South Carolina. Give folks the correct long-term solutions they need not a band –aid approach..

Lou Neiger has worked in the Insurance Financial Planning field since 1981 and earned his CLU designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Lou is a writer for the Dutch Fork Chronicle serving Newberry and Lexington County and has been published in several papers as a guest columnist. He and his family live in Newberry.

SCHotline: Tell us a little bit about yourself: Where and when were you born? Where did you go to college? What have you done in the past?

SCOTT MALYERCK: I was born on the coast of New Hampshire in 1962 on a wintry January afternoon in a city called Portsmouth. It’s one of the older New England cities. I’ve also thought of it as a smaller, more northern version of Charleston. I came to South Carolina to attend USC as my brother did nine years prior. My first real political campaign was in 1984. I ran a State Senate campaign in New Hampshire. We set a spending record. It was $30,000. Try that today. Well, we lost. However I helped that same candidate get elected to congress six years later. My first real break was working on Governor John Sununu’s campaign for governor. He was elected for three (2 year) terms. I then took the job as executive director of the NH Republican Party. I think I was the youngest in the nation at the time. I was 26. I moved back to South Carolina in the early 90’s and worked for a public relations firm, in state government, for a trade association, and as the executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party. I’m thinking about moving to Iowa soon.

SCHotline: What is the book you are currently reading
or what is your favorite book?

SCOTT MALYERCK: I think my favorite book remains A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. I’m not currently reading a book, but my last book read was Leadership by Rudy Giuliani.

SCHotline: What is the best moment you had in a campaign?

SCOTT MALYERCK: One was in 1987. I was driving in Vice President Bush’s motorcade on the back roads of western New Hampshire talking about USC football with fellow alumni Lee Atwater. Another was seeing the first political commercial that I wrote and directed on television.

SCHotline: What is the worst moment you had in a campaign?

SCOTT MALYERCK: The loss of Dickie Jones in the Sumter State Senate race in 2004 by about 50 votes. Dickie is one of the most decent and honest men I’ve ever met in politics and was one of the finest candidates the Republican Party has ever had run for office. He would have made an outstanding representative for the people of Sumter and Lee counties. The election was stolen in one precinct (sour grapes, I know).

SCHotline: Do you have any hobbies besides politics?

SCOTT MALYERCK: As a youngster, I was a coin collector. It has really gotten out of hand. Coin collecting is now a very expensive hobby. I have a 1795 Flowing Hair Dollar if anyone’s interested. For years my hobbies were sports related, golf, running etc. I completed the Marine Corps Marathon in 2001. I will not tell you my time, but I did run every mile of the way. The pursuit of a good golf game remains a major hobby.

SCHotline: Who is your political hero?

SCOTT MALYERCK: Ronald Reagan, no question. He personified what America was and what it hoped to be. I was lucky enough to meet President Reagan several times. His hair always seemed grayer in person. I’d have to mention George Washington. He was offered a “Kingship” in a newly formed republic but knew what America had to be and was humble enough to give it all up after eight years. His actions truly set the framework for a successful executive branch of government.

SCHotline: What is your best political accomplishment?

SCOTT MALYERCK: Taking a candidate with almost zero name ID and defeating the N.H. Speaker of the House in a Republican Primary for congress.

SCHotline: What would do if you were president for a day?

SCOTT MALYERCK: Get up very very early.

SCHotline: What are the Secrets of you success?

SCOTT MALYERCK: Being as honest and as straightforward as possible.

SCHotline: What are your biggest gripes?

SCOTT MALYERCK: Political consultants who believe they are more important than the candidate and artificial turf.

SCHotline: What are your predictions for 2007?

SCOTT MALYERCK: A battle between Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination. Hillary Clinton growing stronger and the Red Sox really competing for the pennant.

What would happen if these students did this now? This picture was taken from the Clemson Taps from 1949.