Home

Week Ending 7 February 2009

A Case Study for Reform -

Since 1998, the South Carolina Department of Social Services has been fined over $63,000,000 by the federal government for failing to implement a certified software system. By the time the system becomes operational, the penalties will have reached almost $100,000,000.

The software system tracks child support payments throughout the state and was mandated by Washington in 1988. South Carolina had ten years to implement the system before we began facing annual penalties. Every other state in the country has successfully implemented an acceptable system. We are now, yet again, last.

Since 1988, through a series of bureaucratic procrastination, procurement blunders, ill-crafted Requests for Proposals, vendor lawsuits and several changes of Directors at DSS, a system that should have cost the taxpayers $19,000,000 will ultimately become operational in 2011 at a cost nearing $150,000,000.

Upon hearing of this problem, a group of newly elected House members called an informal meeting and asked the current director of DSS, Dr. Kathleen Hayes, to update us on the progress of this debacle. We were given a detailed timeline that formed a perfect case study of bureaucratic and political incompetence. In the meeting I asked Dr. Hayes who ultimately was responsible for this debacle. To her credit, she did not point fingers. But the blame lies everywhere and brings into question the apparent lack of oversight from two Governors, many Sessions of the General Assembly, several directors of DSS and our state’s procurement department.

The citizens of South Carolina have been ill used by this. During a time when the state is cutting its budget by almost 30%, we cannot afford this type of reckless incompetence. The South Carolina House has 24 new members. Many of us were elected as reform minded candidates and we remember the promises made to the voters.

We will be drafting legislation that will address the procurement problems and more importantly, attempt to create the office of an independent Inspector General to be appointed by the Governor and tasked with finding waste, fraud and abuse in state government.

WSPA reported on this issue -
http://www.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/frustrated_dss_director_expla...

Issue - Filed Legislation

The following are bills that I co-sponsored this week-

H3405 – Length of Session – This bill shortens the time that the House meets.

H3414 – Tax Reform – Requires tax money derived from the sale, use or titling of automobiles to be put into the state highway fund.

H3418 and H3464 – Election Reform – Allows more flexibility in where poll manager’s can work.

H3424 – Tax Reform – Elimination of corporate income tax

H3436 – Child Protection - Invokes mandatory imprisonment upon daycare workers who abuse children.

H3461 – Citizen Protection - Invokes harsher punishments for those who commit crimes while driving without a license.