Public deserves to know how legislators vote

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I have made transparency in government a focus of my efforts in the South Carolina Senate, because the voters told me that’s important. The first bill I introduced in the Senate was to require my fellow legislators to put their names on requests for funding for local projects, also known as earmarks. It’s another way to keep them from hiding how they spend taxpayers’ money.

Now it’s time to take the next step to make your elected officials even more accountable.

Under current General Assembly rules, many important bills are decided on a voice vote. A voice vote gives legislators a chance to hide under the cover of anonymity. Often, it’s easier to find a lost sock than to find out how a legislator voted. Read more

Posted August 25, 2008 by

Making state government open for you

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I’m a big fan of the Olympics, but this isn’t a column about those exciting games in Beijing. My thoughts today are about an Olympic-sized gap in the openness of state government. I want to close that gap, and taking this step will continue our effort to shake things up in Columbia.

It’s all about how your tax money is spent and who is spending it.

I have made transparency in government a focus of my efforts in the S.C. Senate because you’ve told me that’s important to you. You may remember that the first bill I introduced in the Senate was to require my fellow legislators to put their names on requests for funding for local projects, also known as earmarks. It’s another way to keep them from hiding how they spend your money. Read more

Posted August 21, 2008 by

SHANE MASSEY LAUNCHED CAMPAIGN TODAY IN AIKEN AND EDGEFIELD LAUNCHING SALUDA AND McCORMICK CAMPAIGNS TOMORROW AND FRIDAY

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WILL SPEND NEXT MONTHS KNOCKING ON DOORS TO SPREAD MESSAGE OF REFORM

(Edgefield, SC) – State Senator Shane Massey was elected last year by knocking on over 10,000 doors to spread his message of shaking things up in Columbia. Shane has come through on that commitment by working to uncover secret pork barrel spending, forcing drunk drivers off the streets, and pushing the toughest illegal immigration bill in the nation. In his short time in the State Senate, Shane has become known as one of South Carolina’s hardest working legislators in his fight to change the status quo.

He launched his Aiken and Edgefield County campaigns today. Shane knocked on nearly 200 doors this morning in downtown Aiken and at this very moment he is knocking on doors in downtown Edgefield. He will be hitting the streets again tomorrow to launch his McCormick campaign and again Friday to launch his Saluda campaign. Shane promises to knock on another 5,000 doors before the November election to spread his message of reform. Read more

Posted August 21, 2008 by

Sen. Shane Massey begins campaign today

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South Carolina District 25 Republican Sen. Shane Massey will launch his re-election campaign today. He will kick off the campaign by hitting the streets, knocking on another 5,000 doors in just three months to spread his message of reform. He starts in Aiken, heading out from the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center at 10:30 a.m.

“The families of Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick and Saluda counties elected me to shake things up in Columbia, and that’s what I’ll continue doing. Politicians are spending our hard-earned money irresponsibly, failing to improve our schools, allowing gas prices to soar and sitting idly by while health care costs skyrocket,” Massey said. Massey faces opposition from Democratic candidate Greg Anderson of Edgefield. Read more

Posted August 20, 2008 by

New facility planned for Piedmont Technical’s Saluda satellite campus

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Saluda County’s satellite campus of Piedmont Technical College currently enrolls about 500 students each fall, but that number should grow dramatically with the anticipated opening of a new facility in August 2009.

Officials from the college and those from Saluda County and the City of Saluda held a traditional ground-breaking ceremony at the current campus. The new 20,000-square-foot building will be located across the street on Batesburg Highway, just outside of Saluda and about eight miles from Ridge Spring.

The project was funded through a successful bond referendum in Saluda County, a federal Economic Development Administration grant and through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s rural economic development loan and grant program. Aiken Electric Cooperative also played a key role in the project with a $740,000 loan guarantee. Read more

Posted August 20, 2008 by

SHANE MASSEY TO LAUNCH REELECTION CAMPAIGN WEDNESDAY

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WILL SPEND NEXT THREE MONTHS KNOCKING ON DOORS TO SPREAD MESSAGE OF REFORM

(Edgefield, SC) – State Senator Shane Massey was elected last year by knocking on over 10,000 doors to spread his message of shaking things up in Columbia. Shane has come through on that commitment by working to uncover secret pork barrel spending, forcing drunk drivers off the streets, and pushing the toughest illegal immigration bill in the nation. In his short time in the State Senate, Shane has become known as one of South Carolina’s hardest working legislators in his fight to change the status quo.

He’s launching his reelection campaign on Wednesday by hitting the streets again, this time knocking on another 5,000 doors in just three months to spread his message of reform.

“The families of Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick, and Saluda counties elected me to shake things up in Columbia, and that’s what I’ll continue doing. Politicians are spending our hard-earned money irresponsibly, failing to improve our schools, allowing gas prices to soar, and sitting idly by while healthcare costs skyrocket,” Massey said.

He continued “It’s time for leaders to step forward and do the hard work it takes to move our state forward. Many politicians would rather keep doing things the way we’ve always done them, but are not going to make real progress in our state unless we have the courage, vision, and determination to change the status quo. I’m going to take this message directly to voters by knocking on 5,000 doors in the next three months.”

To prove he’s ready to do the hard work it takes to shake things up in Columbia, Shane will start his 5,000 door walk on Wednesday in Aiken and Edgefield and continue Thursday in Savannah Lakes.

MEDIA AVAILABILITIES

Wednesday, August 20
Aiken County Door-to-Door
When: 10:30 am
Where: Beginning at Smith-Hazel Recreation Center, 400 Kershaw St., N.E., Aiken, SC

Edgefield County Door-to-Door
When: 3:00 pm
Where: Columbia Road (beginning at Region’s Bank)

Thursday, August 21
McCormick County Door-to-Door
Details will be sent tomorrow.

Saluda County Door-to-Door
Details will be sent tomorrow.

Media is invited to join Shane while he knocks on doors…if they promise not to slow him down.

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Posted August 19, 2008 by

What a waste

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Ham-fisted budget cut reveals yet another example of South Carolina’s inefficient state government

South Carolina legislators have more power than most. In most states, the governor has a wee bit more power to carry out the duties of the executive branch.

In fact, one study has said South Carolina government has created the fourth-weakest executive branch in the nation.

The result is a plodding, ineffective, wasteful state government-by-committee that is holding the state back economically and otherwise. Read more

Posted August 18, 2008 by

South Carolina lawmakers pushing for roll-call votes

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Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, says he will call for roll-call votes on bills with an economic impact until lawmakers approve a plan requiring recorded votes on bills that spend taxpayer dollars.

But he’ll need four of his colleagues in the state Senate to join him in order to force lawmakers to publicly own up to their votes, rather than allowing them to issue anonymous voice votes. In the House, 10 members must call for a roll call vote.

“The people of South Carolina should be able to hold legislators accountable for the decisions they make at the State House … ,” Mr. Massey said in a statement. “Roll-call votes bring instant accountability.” Read more

Posted August 18, 2008 by

Massey to push for roll call voting in Senate

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What a difference a week can make.

On the heels of the S.C. Policy Council’s report on the widespread use of voice voting in both houses of the General Assembly, Senator Shane Massey has officially jumped on the roll call voting bandwagon:

Last year I introduced the Appropriations Bill Earmark Disclosure Act, a bill that will bring greater transparency to the budgeting process by requiring legislators to put their names on requests for funds going to local projects. Unfortunately the bill died because too many big spending politicians want to fund their pet projects in secret.

I support Senator Glenn McConnell’s effort to push a commonsense conservative plan through the General Assembly. The people of South Carolina should be able to hold legislators accountable for the decisions they make at the State House, and roll call votes bring instant accountability. To bring more transparency to state government, I will ask for a roll call vote in the South Carolina Senate on any bill that requires a significant expenditure of state funds. Read more

Posted August 13, 2008 by

Huzzah! Massey to call for ‘roll call’ votes

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Well, it’s about damn time.

For far too long, members of the S.C. Senate have gone along with the usual way of votes in the upper chamber – allowing voice votes on nearly everything. Voice votes hide the voting records of senators, so you don’t know who is voting for what. It’s been nearly impossible to hold members accountable for what’s going on.

Now, as legislation has not yet passed requiring roll call votes, Sen. Shane Massey has said he will call for roll call votes on spending bills. Read more

Posted August 13, 2008 by

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