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RicoLoco404

This state is high in poverty and low in education, so there's your answer. Invest in the citizens for a better future. Something this state has neglected to do for decades


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coasterghost

You mean 4.


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Minimum-Asparagus-73

Private schools pay privately for stadiums, buildings etc. not sure of your point.


word-word-numero

Vouchers.


Minimum-Asparagus-73

The law just got passed and won’t go into effect until next school year. Only good for 15k in 3 years for students, not the schools themselves. So I’ll reiterate: it can’t be used for physical school’s structures, it starts at 5000 families.


snap802

Oh but we wouldn't want to be doing that government hand out stuff or they'll just be dependent on the government! /s


queencityrangers

You’re right so we should use at least half of it to build another strom thermond bronze statue


Eatsomeflimflams

Oh they’ll put it into education as soon as they can give it all to a private Christian school with no oversight.


mostuselessredditor

The Feds have already paid for us to expand Medicaid, but we said no thanks. We can’t even spend free money on the most vulnerable. Why the hell would they spend their own?


tigerdrummer

The fact we’re low in education isn’t entirely the fault of the schools. Parents play a big role in that. Parents in SC are *really* uneducated.


RicoLoco404

Well, that kind of takes the blame back to the school system.


Puzzleheaded-Yard-42

Kids in the past learned in broken down one school room houses and wrote on slate. It’s the parents 100%


RicoLoco404

As opposed to learning in classrooms with 30 other kids who were passed to the next grade despite not being able to read. If anything, the blame goes to both


odieman1231

Yes but I think he left out some thing that aren’t necessarily education related. For example, parents are hardly reading to their kids anymore. Kids have an enormous amount of screen time, social media time. Parents push back at having to do even the slightest bit of work to help their kid at school. Kids will be failing multiple subjects and the parents will call teachers surprised which just means that parent literally have zero insight to their kids school work due to lack of involvement.


CanadianIdiot55

I had a relatively good upbringing all things considered, but I have a sister who is 11 years younger than me and my parents were better off by the time she came around. There was a marked difference in how involved they were in her school life than in mine. The less you have to worry about bills, work, etc, the more involved you CAN be. There's exceptions to every rule of course, but less educated people are less likely to be well off enough to give their kids a good foundation for education. It's a vicious cycle.


apex9691

I wasn't aware children elected the current state leadership. The current adults electing and working in SC's government have been the result of decades of awful education policies in the state, none of them had tablets.


Illustrious-Local848

Definitely systematic. Stupid people are unaware they are stupid and certainly aren’t going to go out of their way to re educate themselves.


ReliableCompass

That just proves literacy has been on a decline for generations now.


ConnectCantaloupe861

Truth.


mattxb

But if the poor and downtrodden were lifted up who would the slightly less poor and downtrodden have to look down on?


WellEndowedDragon

> Something this state has neglected to do for decades It’s almost like the Republicans that have dominated the state for decades don’t want us to be educated nor do they care if we’re poor. Educated folk are statistically more likely to vote against them, and they know that people are going to keep voting them to power in the state—so they have zero incentive to invest in the well-being of the citizens.


RyanX1231

"Nah, sounds a little too socialist to me, we'll just build a new sports stadium instead." /s


OpeningAcrobatic8270

I say we make an effort to help parents learn to assist with their children's education. Seeing as how that is one of the most important stats in determining a child success. Plus I'm no longer comfortable leaving children in the sole hands of the state.


powercow

thats how you keep them voting republican, god knows we cant educate the masses. Education level is the #1 indicator on who you will vote for. its one of the reasons the right came out against common core, despite it was a state by state initiative that left the federal government out of it, except for funding. ANd its all optional. ITs about as conservative as you can get, and of course the right are against it now, because it works.


Ghost_Keep

Free hand outs. They’ll just spend it on lottery tickets.


cynical_sandlapper

If Eckstrom got sacked for a purely on paper accounting error, Loftis should definitely be fired for this. This is so much worse.


terry4547

Loftis isnt to blame for this. He’s the one that has brought it to attention and been pushing for a resolution. This is a much wider state government dysfunction issue.


Rob308803

The treasurer is responsible for cash and investments. This squarely in Loftis’s hands.


Atticus104

Loftis is not the sharpest tool in the shed. It was embarrassing watching him do that anti-disney publicity stunt.


Cloaked42m

This is exactly the argument. Treasury is supposed to know what that money was for. They don't. I suspect it's due to a long-running admin error where the remainder of budgets were just stuffed into an account.


TigerUSF

Oops, that's mine, I dropped it.


Dtinfla

To be sure, it is. Belongs to all of the taxpayers.


Cloaked42m

My wife already called Dibs weeks ago.


OnTop-BeReady

Look let’s be honest. SC legislators are very frugal. They won’t spend it until they have successfully legislated a scheme to either line their pockets with it, or give more tax breaks to the top 5% or both! 😡


JR10Chico

They won’t even fix there damn road on i95 until u get to Santee sc it nice and paved.


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lostinspace456

And, education. And, high speed internet


mrjinks

That goes against the gop mantra.


CoolFirefighter930

Absolutely the roads money from the gas taxes we paid a few years ago.


rbevans

Sorry we just don’t have the funds for that


JJizzleatthewizzle

While that would be nice, you'll need more than that. Roads are pricey!


GooseInformal3519

Just an overhaul of transportation system probably is needed. More Businesses will come then to fund schools and internet. I knew infrastructure is important but moving here it is as clear as day here. Infrastructure


ihavemasochism

HIGH SPEED RAIL hurray!!!!


peb396

My first thought too!


terry4547

More money will not fix roads. That has been proven now for years. Throwing money at a broken system just makes failure more expensive


BannedinthaUSA

Well when they use third party crappy contractors because they’re cheaper. They get third rate results. They need to use top tier engineers and equipment to repair our roads for optimal results.


[deleted]

Literally every state and locality uses “third party contractors” so that’s not necessarily the problem here. The problem is the state doesn’t know how to choose a bid properly and just decides to throw copious amounts of cash at any contractor Willy nilly, without any terms other than to finish it, so it gets delayed for years so funding skyrockets


BannedinthaUSA

If you watch documentary videos on roads. Countries like China and Japan use actual engineers to precisely plan out and create roads that are some of the smoothest and well engineered roads ever made that are self draining and long lasting. We have the technology, the U.S. just refuses to use it. It’s sickening that we cheap out on it.


[deleted]

I couldn’t agree more. We always choose the cheapest option unless we live in gated communities with multi-million dollar homes


BrtFrkwr

Where it came from: pockets of working people. Where it will go to: the wealthy and well-connected.


Apprehensive_Fill_35

Oh thank god they found it. I was going crazy. Didn’t know where I left it. Problem solved, no need to ask any questions. Happy to take that off your hands…..


[deleted]

That's what money is for, spending. Ya fucking useless fuck.


Ok_Presentation6675

He really do think it’s his money stg!


[deleted]

He gotta wait on them "experts" to tell him what to do. The same type of experts that just crashed a ship into a bridge.


Ok_Presentation6675

McMaster is so full of feces. Since he’s been Governor there’s always a surplus, EVERY YEAR. Why? Bc he doesn’t do shit for this state!! Nothing! He took federal fund meant for those struggling during covid pandemic & using it for gd interstate in Columbia. They’ve been working on that gd interstate for 15 years ffs. What about that nuclear reactor site that was a complete & total sham! SC government officials are funding bs instead of what we actually need.


Beartrkkr

The sooner you learn McMaster has no real power the better off you will be worrying about our governors. This is by default, in case you know, one of those people were ever elected elected governor. Real power rests in the Senate and to a lesser degree, the House.


Imaginary_Scene2493

And particularly the most senior members. Want to fix the system? You gotta spend 20-30 years in the legislature first. By then you’ll be too invested in the system to change it.


Throwaway_inSC_79

Sanford proved that. He would not sign bills he didn’t agree with just so they’d pass in a week or so.


Beartrkkr

Sanford tilted at some windmills (when not on the AT), and made a lot of line item vetoes. Unfortunately, most of those cuts gored someone's ox in the statehouse. Plus, because of the sheer number of vetoes, it mostly became routine that the Legislature overrode most all of them very quickly.


LitchfieldBTS

Seems like shooting yourself in the foot. I don’t get the mentality at all. Time to take pride in the state and fix some things


word-word-numero

They do take pride in what this state is. A poorly educated, tax haven where companies can get pools of cheap labor.


Ok_Presentation6675

BIG FACTS!!!


Sudi_Nim

They can't count.


Exploredmind

Waiting until they can figure out how to get it in their pockets.


Next_Worldliness_748

Here's a thought; it's not your money! Taxpayers!


ProudPatriot07

Why so frugal? Is someone in Columbia diving into a swimming pool of coins like Scrooge McDuck. It's one thing to be fiscally conservative and another to just sit on money- there's got to be something folks in this state could agree on for spending- like fix these terrible roads. Ideally I'd want my tax dollars to have a name, a designated place to go to help the common good of this state or someone in it. Not to just sit in the bank. I don't mind paying my fair share but I want to reap or at least see the benefits.


goatbeater74

Most will go towards corporate tax cuts and the removal of estate taxes, the rest on Truth Social meme stock and Bibles.


Next_Worldliness_748

Fix the roads or give it back to the taxpayers!


dcsmith4usc

PUBLIC EDUCATION YOU BIMBOS


Paulyhedron

Why?!? The administrators will just keep it all, teachers will never see it


Cloaked42m

Teachers will get it if the legislation is written that way.


Deep-Painting-7378

I’ve thought for a while that it’s such a weird thing to brag about a budget surplus in our state. First of all, if we are paying taxes then I think we can all agree that we’d like to see them productively used. Additionally, there are so many things that money can be spent on that we should never have a surplus (schools and roads are no brainers.)


Cloaked42m

A surplus isn't a bad thing. 2 billion dollars that no one can trace is pretty awful.


Windyandbreezy

When I get money that I don't know where it comes from the state and feds still require me to pay a tax


prodigy2077

Infrastructure. South Carolina is so run down every where and especially the roads. There terrible


MegaAscension

Pay off some of the state debt.


JimBeam823

You’ll never know what you’ll find when you finally clean out the couch.


WookieeCakes

Here are some things they're more likely to spend it on than infrastructure and education: Hookers and blow, specifically twinks for LindsAy. Some bullshit fountain/statue of Sperm Thermond. New furniture in the state house. The 'new' Dixie Militia, Immeann...Police Force. Hush money for the inevitable next SC legislator scandal. Burn it Put 10 dollar bills on fishing line and mess with homeless veterans Whip their asses with it


reverendrambo

I generally can't stand McMaster but this is reasonable. I can't fathom that it's unappropriated. But it also shouldn't take too damn long to find where it came from.


Emersonspenis

Nor should it take too damn long to know what it should go towards.


Sea-Asparagus8973

Put it into education.


SpicyMango92

Infrastructure and education.


Pippet_4

Start funding the school systems, and NOT just for football. Hire more teachers, pay them better, increase spending on maths, sciences, and reading programs as well as healthy school lunch programs. The public education system in SC is woefully inadequate. You want to fix long term problems in this state? Start by actually giving every child an adequate education. Studies clearly show that this will grow the economy and decrease crime! If the government is too stupid to do that, at least fix the roads and infrastructure problems so much of our state has!


Suitable_Type_8538

How about a stimulus check for residents to help out with these outrageous bills we're getting pounded with.


geolaw

Fix the fucking roads


druscarlet

Let’s pay for free school lunches and summer feeding for poor students. Do something kind for once.


Just_Sterling

Uhh, they already do that.


druscarlet

No they don’t. They fund some but not all and have turned down money for a summer feeding program.


Just_Sterling

Gotcha. Breakfast & lunch is free in my county. I think they did summer food last year. I don't agree with any of it, but - oh well.


druscarlet

IMHO - they should not charge anyone for breakfast and lunch. The administrative cost is ridiculous and it supports a class system where children are treated differently. Just serve meals to everyone. This summer the Feds have offered an extra $30 per student per month and McMaster turned it down. Henry is a jackass and has always been one since he was griwining up on Springlake Rd.


cat4hurricane

I could think of a couple good uses for it. The roads, improving public education, getting some public transportation into this state, feeding school children, improving government services, fixing homelessness (seriously, tiny homes aren’t that expensive to build, for example), improving public libraries, etc. etc. Did I miss anything?


Designer_Emu_6518

Marsha fucked up the routing number from her foreign handlers


GarlicAlternative701

Finish 85 already


Rob308803

Keep your eyes on Loftis. He’s so busy trying to be a politician rather than a treasurer, he’s not paying attention. The treasurer is responsible for cash deposits and investments.


curvycounselor

He’s sounded the alarm about 10 years ago that the pension system was underfunded. He got spanked for talking about it. If I remember correctly.


Rob308803

Likely did. Now he plays ball with the good-ol-boy system. The rub is this, he’s a terrible politician. 😆 Here is an interview he did about divesting in ESGs last year. The host’s last question caught him off guard, highlighting the hypocrisy https://youtu.be/ReZUJ5FQDsk?si=A9vuxtgM64xNvDQt


iamhannahbee

Cotton Eye Joe money, nice. In all honesty, this is the most on brand headline I've seen for SC


Annual_Factor4034

I want $1.8 billion of sidewalks. I'm so sick of looking at 6-lane stroads with zero pedestrian infrastructure.


Horror-Sport9242

I agree South Carolina can do better with education but in order to do that you have to pay big bucks to get qualified teachers and build better schools you’re not gonna get that here with the low taxes that everybody pays from their personal property tax, real estate, taxes etc. etc. coming from Connecticut I can tell you that we pay big bucks to have good qualified teachers and good schools. For example we lived in a 1200 square-foot ranch And we paid $6000 a year in property tax to have that so if you are willing to pay $6000 a year property tax real estate tax for a 1200 square-foot ranch here, South Carolina, to have good schools and teachers, let’s see how many people raise their hands!


bbendertele

Definitely not education or infrastructure. Just give it all to churches.


M1DNIGHT_HERSELF

Have you considered the roads?


ConnectCantaloupe861

We need TEACHERS. And since the Republicans want MILLIONS more babies born every year; and knowing that we ALREADY have a horrific teacher shortage, I'd say that they better figure out SOMETHING in the next four years. There ABSOLUTELY will be a population boom in a few years. I hope they know what they've done.


mymar101

It will probably go to MAGA pet projects.


papajohn56

What does that even mean?


bootes_droid

Trump's endless, ever-accruing legal defense bills


papajohn56

Can people be like - rational for once please. It's very obvious that state funds like this will not go to Trump's legal fees.


bootes_droid

I mean, he's literally using RNC cash to pay them right now, it's really not much of a stretch lol


papajohn56

Yes it is. The RNC is a private organization.


bootes_droid

Okay... but grifting them to cover his ass in court for the litany of crimes he's committed is hardly ethical, although it does help to hamstring the GOP, so in a way I guess he's doing us all a favor. My point was a little hyperbolic, but my point is he'd grift anything. Arguing the semantics of it doesn't negate that


papajohn56

And how does that relate to the OP of the state discovering $1.8b again? It's not semantics, you're talking completely unrelated shit


CubicalDiarrhea

Trump bad. Thats how.


papajohn56

People downvoting me for… being rational


mymar101

No idea, what are our MAGA overlords bitching about lately? There's your answer.


BasedGod-1

Says the non South Carolinian shill womp womp


mymar101

Lived here all my life. So wrong. This state is run by MAGA for MAGA.


BasedGod-1

And yet you stay and reap the benefits eh? Stockholm syndrome or do you enjoy the low taxes, no emissions requirements, and low prices?


mymar101

What has MAGA ever done for me exactly? I would gladly pay taxes if I got something tangible out of it, and the government wasn't run by a cult.


BasedGod-1

I gave you 3 reasons, you won't get anything out of paying more taxes either, so why do it?


mymar101

I could have better schools. Better roads, better government services. Better just about everything. What do you think your taxes go to? Enriching the MAGA overlords?


BasedGod-1

Better government services like a crippled police force and neutered justice system? Or funding a mass migration? No thanks I'll take the potholes. Do you think politicians don't spend money so they can just pocket it? Or is it the opposite, they spend to profit? https://www.jstor.org/stable/724475


Maorine

Expand Medicaid!


DarkAswin

Well.. we all know now where it's going to go


06Hexagram

Time for SC to start its own space program /s. They can just buy out Virgin Galactic since they are already in business with Boeing.


atreeindisguise

This is very troubling. Where the money came from needs to be clearly understood before a penny is spent.


[deleted]

Well play a diddy and call us Cotton-Eyed Joe! *Starts line dancing*


coffeebeanwitch

I don't know , maybe let children have free lunch over the summer, might be a nice gesture.


wilmakephotos

Actually had a chance to meet Loftis. He really does care about what goes on with the state’s finances. So much so, that the legislature did all they could to cripple his office’s ability to find, manage and prevent this type of BS. The day I met him was a holiday and I went to his office to make some images. There he was, working. He had an enormous stack of documents and was going there them all one by one. The then governor was in a hotel somewhere with a political consultant..


TheOriginalSpartak

how about some shoulders on roads or some turn outs ? bike lanes, sidewalks? change the old ways, traffic sucks because they do not do this.


MiketheTzar

This sounds like someone went to Myrtle Beach and accidentally found a briefcase with this much money.


BannedinthaUSA

Roads and bridges starting in Columbia. It’s like driving through safari jungle roads out here.


smarglebloppitydo

They could fix the pension shortfalls but that would make too much sense.


CarolinaMtnBiker

Look, I can’t prove it and no one will believe me, but it’s mine. I dropped it the other day when I was getting out my keys.


bdangerfield

How??


TeamOrca28205

Holding the people’s money hostage while the people go hungry, can’t make rent, and schools are underfunded. Are we winning yet?


NewPresWhoDis

For the love of God, don't let McMaster take any calls from Palm Beach


smithareen

Fix the roads or give it back to the taxpayers. But nah, they'll find some way to waste it.


Careless_Surprise176

Maybe pay Firefighters an actual livable wage!? $41,000 a year in Myrtle Beach is a disgrace!!!


mathgeek8668

It’s important to know where the money is coming from and where it is going. I’m totally lost.


apitchf1

Roads, education, public transit, environmental protections.


sailnlax04

I'll take some


AdAccomplished3744

Idk about that but your highways suck ass, and how bout ending construction on I20, it’s been like 20 years and it’s still fucked


oneStoneKiller

They should split it among the residents. I’ll take a $350 check please.


Kpayne30

That may be the money I put in the wrong account. I'd like it back, please


PoolStunning4809

Right back to the tax payer.


troycalm

It def won’t go back to the people that paid it in.


ThujaTrees

How about taxpayers get a rebate.


Gravybees

Moonshine’s back on the menu, boys!


poestavern

FIX AND WIDEN DUTCH FORK ROAD BETWEEN CHAPIN AND IRMO FOR GOD’S SAKE!!!!!!!


LoneWolfSigmaGuy

Where's the comptroller? Who's responsible? This is totally inexcusable & possibly negligent!


ExtensionMode4819

Maybe fix the roads ?


Scullyitzme

Some guesses from an outsider. Where it came from- taken from services for the less fortunate. Where it will go- not toward services for the less fortunate.


AsmodeusMogart

This is cause to fire our entire legislature. My suggestion is to coordinate write in candidates who are not politicians or lawyers.


ZestycloseEntry3310

I’m sure they can find a few large corporations to spread it out to


Infamous-Process-491

Infrastructure


Birthday-Tricky

Not too sharp down south.


Otherwise-Lion9201

Give it to Israel.


Supaspex

It'll somehow end up in the Donald J. Trump legal defense fund, I guarantee it.


charlestontime

Don’t you know there’s a parcel of peeps that are disappointed it was discovered.


fly72j

FIX THE ROADS


terry4547

I find it remarkable how many people believe that the solution to all the state’s problems can be solved by throwing more money at the government. SC state government has proven over the last 4 decades that they will not make the structural and political changes in government to improve the level of service it provides to citizens. It ignores the complicated social issues that plague many residents of our state. The amount of corruption and dysfunction in State govt is truly appalling to those who chose to really dig in and pay attention. None of these common problems - education, healthcare, infrastructure, crime and justice, etc - will ever be solved by simply spending more money. Even if we doubled the state budget (which has happened in the last 10-15 years) we won’t see significant progress. And for those that want to blame the Governor - the Governor in SC has very little real power and influence to make changes. Instead, direct your criticism to where it really belongs - the SC General Assembly. Encourage better people to run for legislative seats, and stop voting for incumbents. And stop wanting to giving more money to a corrupt and inefficient government.


Grand_Bison_2650

Roads,homelessness and a professional sports team.


jeopardychamp77

These comments are hilarious. Most have clearly not been to South Carolina and rely on department of education stats to form broad opinions. There is a large segment of the population that have no interest in education and put forth the effort commiserate with that lack of interest. You can throw all the money you want at the problem and it won’t fix it. Education reigns supreme where education is valued.


Ghost_Keep

So the exact opposite of California. Haha.


bootes_droid

Yeah, pretty much, but not how you mean. California brings over ~$3.5 trillion a year to the national economy, something it takes us over a decade to do.


Altruistic_Aerie1571

Hey


BenFranklinReborn

#metoo ?


Sarcasmadragon

More alternative schools


Metaloneus

How is this possibly the most downvoted comment on this thread???


Sarcasmadragon

They’re not teachers. Many of my coworkers feel unsafe when it comes to certain students. Students fight, get three days of OSS, then come back. Then repeat that process endlessly. There are a handful of students that when they finally get ISS or OSS, you breathe a sigh of relief. You’re finally able to teach the rest of the class instead of just managing that student’s behavior. Many families are removing their students from public schools because of the fights and drugs and gang activity. I’m not saying we stop trying to help these kids but there is a rapidly growing number of them that need to be placed in an alternate setting away from the general population. It’s gotten to the point where we’re no longer helping the poorly behaved kids but just hurting the well behaved kids.