Other Voices

• USC critical economic engine for South Carolina
  We all are well aware of the tremendous positive impact that the late Charles Fraser's creative vision and determined quest for quality community building had on the South Carolina Lowcountry and especially on Hilton Head Island.

• County Council gives needed oversight on tax rates
  Do you think you pay enough in local property taxes? Would you like to pay a whole lot more?

• School board's financial independence best for all
  Our Legislative Delegation will shortly consider delegating increased fiscal authority to the Beaufort County Board of Education in managing the financial affairs of the school district.

• The path forward for the Jasper Ocean Terminal
  It's now up to the courts to hear the legal, environmental and economic questions about the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control's surprising decision to reverse itself and approve Georgia's application to deepen the Savannah River.

• Governors must step up to get Jasper port on track
  I read with interest in last Friday's newspaper the opinion piece by Gov. Nikki Haley defending the state Department of Health and Environmental Control board's decision to green-light a project by the Georgia Ports Authority and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deepen the Savannah River from 42 feet to 48 feet.

• South Carolina should not fear port competition from Savannah
  Last week, the South Carolina Senate undertook the clearly political exercise unprecedented in South Carolina history of subpoenaing my staff to ask them questions about my office's involvement in the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control's granting of a permit for the dredging of the Savannah port. They concluded, unequivocally, what we had said all along: Neither I nor anyone who works for me played a role in this decision one way or another.

• Savannah port expansion a boost for SC, too
  As mayor of Hardeeville, I was excited to read that Gov. Nikki Haley and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control have worked out an agreement with the Georgia Ports Authority that will both protect our environment and allow the needed dredging of the Savannah River to move forward.

• Harbour Town dredging solution lies in Sea Pines Forest Preserve
  Dredging the Harbour Town harbor is a topic that can be viewed from two distinct perspectives.

• Governance can be fixed without losing vote
  I and many others will agree to disagree with the newspaper's editorial staff regarding the referendum on whether to appoint or elect Beaufort County's treasurer and auditor. I recently saw a bumper sticker that stated, "The more you let government do for you the more they can take." I, for one, will do everything I can to ensure that does not happen.

• Comprehensive federal reform what we need
  The Lowcountry Immigration Coalition, a nonprofit organization based in the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton area, is proud to stand in support of national, state and local groups in opposition to the recently passed South Carolina anti-immigrant law.

• Traffic camera panel now moving forward
  Your editorial on Nov. 3 properly noted the need for a commission to convene, as provided by law, to examine the legal, ethical and other policy implications associated with using traffic cameras in connection with law enforcement. Gov. Nikki Haley recently appointed a chairman for this commission, and it will meet over the next two months and then issue its findings to the legislature when it reconvenes next January.

• Schools, community can fight bullying
  Bullying is a serious problem facing young people. In response to several recent incidents in Beaufort County schools, we are redoubling our efforts to teach students our expectations about respect and responsibility.

• More work to be done on port redevelopment plans
  The development agreement between the S.C. State Ports Authority and the town of Port Royal needs many changes.

• Editorial misses reasons behind fee amnesty
  I am somewhat puzzled by the Sept. 20 editorial referencing the treasurer fee amnesty program ("Too early to tell impact of fee amnesty program").

• Online agencies try legislative end run
  Earlier this year, South Carolina's tourism industry celebrated the state Supreme Court decision in Travelscape v. the S.C. Department of Revenue.

• Education today requires personalized instruction
  In the coming days, more than 750,000 public, independent and home-schooled students will begin their new school years.

• Why I said 'no' to debt-ceiling plan
  I could not, in good conscience, support the recent agreement made by President Barack Obama and congressional leaders to raise our nation's debt ceiling.

• SC must get it right on reading
  There is a direct relationship between high school graduation and third-grade reading proficiency.

• American people want a balanced budget
  President Barack Obama's warning to Republicans that he would take the debt limit debate to the American people is music to my ears.

• Opportunity will come to weigh in on dredging plan for Sea Pines
  Nobody ever said doing large-scale development on a barrier island was easy.

• Senate congressional plan best for state, Beaufort County
  Recently, a new congressional plan for South Carolina, pushed by the Myrtle Beach business community in general and by a Myrtle Beach state representative in particular, unraveled in the Senate. Much to their dismay, as reported by The (Columbia) State newspaper, "the state Senate approved a redistricting plan that creates a new 7th District that is centered in Beaufort County."

• Walk the walk on diversifying economy
  Heated discussion about shutting down the Lowcountry Economic Network, saving or not saving the Beaufort Commerce Park, duplicative studies initiated by two groups who share a common economic development mission and arguments for and against government's role in economic development bring up the sour note of broken promises and missed opportunity to me and many others.

• Taking Race to Top money penny wise, pound foolish
  U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently announced another round of "Race to the Top," a federal program that offers quick, one-time cash infusions to state and district administrative offices.

• NLRB's complaint against Boeing legitimate
  The complaint that the National Labor Relations Board issued against Boeing on April 20 has touched off a storm of comment and controversy, much of it wrong. We need to get past rhetoric and look at what the case is really about.

• SC voter ID law actually enables new way for fraud
  As an elections official, one of my primary concerns is to protect the rights of voters to cast a ballot with full confidence in the democratic process. Fundamental to fostering that confidence is to take all reasonable measures to ensure that the "one man, one vote" tenet is not violated.

Elected Representatives

South Carolina

Nikki Haley, Governor	803.734.2100
Jim DeMint, Senator	843.727.4525
Lindsey Graham, Senator	803.933.0112
Tim Scott, Congressman	843.852.2222
Alan Wilson, Attorney General	803.734.3970
Joe Wilson, Congressman	843.521.2530

Beaufort County

Ed Allen, Coroner	843.255.5150
Sharon Burris, Auditor	843.255.2500
Doug Henderson, Treasurer	843.255.2600
Jerri Ann Roseneau, Clerk of Court	843.255.5050
Frank Simon, Probate Judge	843.255.5850
Duffie Stone, 14th Jud. Circ. Solicitor	843.255.5880
P.J. Tanner, Sheriff	843.255.3200

Weston J. Newton, Council Chairman	843.706.6111
Paul Sommerville, Vice Chairman	843.379.7114
Steven Baer, County Council	843.689.3570
Rick Caporale, County Council	843.689.9999
Gerald Dawson, County Council	843.846.4830
Brian Flewelling, County Council	843.379.9805
Herbert Glaze, County Council	843.846.2845
William McBride, County Council	843.838.2264
Stewart Rodman, County Council	843.363.6470
Gerald Stewart, County Council	843.705.4753
Laura Von Harten, County Council	843.868.1062

City of Beaufort

Billy Keyserling, Mayor	843.521.2600
Donnie Ann Beer, City Council	843.379.6099
Mike McFee, City Council	843.522.1528
George O'Kelley, Jr., City Council	843.522.2043
Mike Sutton, City Council	843.252.5687

Town of Bluffton

Lisa Sulka, Mayor	843.540.1579
Oliver Brown, Town Council	843.757.3690
Karen Lavery, Town Council	843.384.1442
Ted Huffman, Town Council	843.247.8337
Mike Raymond, Town Council	843.540.9471

Town of Hilton Head

Drew Laughlin, Mayor	843.689.5700
Ken Heitzke, Mayor Pro Tempore	843.681.8182
Wm. Lee Edwards, Town Council	843.686.9020
Willie Ferguson, Town Council	843.686.2863
William D. Harkins, Town Council	843.263.3261
Kim Likins, Town Council	843.785.4909
George W. Williams, Jr., Town Council	843.363.6601

Town of Port Royal

Samuel Murray, Mayor	843.524.4890
Vernon DeLoach, Town Council	843.524.4655
Mary Beth Grey-Heyward, Town Council	843.524.4561
Thomas Klein, Town Council	843.522.0068
Joe Lee, Town Council	843.522.9867

 

Letters to the Editor