The Opinion Blog

Cracking Open the School Books

Friday’s editorial applauds a new state law that requires schools to post their spending online.

Following an emerging and highly laudable trend, the Grand Strand has seen a number of its local governments begin regularly posting their spending records online for anyone to see: first Myrtle Beach, followed quickly by Surfside Beach, and most recently the city of Georgetown.

Soon, thanks to a litlte-noticed but likewise commendable new provision in state law, they will be joined by some of the area's largest governing bodies: local school boards.

Mystery Money

Sunday’s article calls for the end of corporate campaign contributions in South Carolina (as in federal elections and more than 20 other states), using the recent upset over contributions in Myrtle Beach as an example.

The hundreds of mysterious $1,000 donations to local politicians that have caused such stir over the last two weeks are, as The Sun News has reported, both legal and commonplace in South Carolina.

And, frankly, a little repulsive.

More Online Sunshine

Sunday’s editorial praises Georgetown for becoming the latest city to put its financial records online, and polls other local governments that have yet to do so about their plans.

Local advocates of open government got a double helping of good news in recent weeks. First, state Comptroller Richard Eckstrom stopped in Myrtle Beach to congratulate that city and Surfside Beach to be among the first local governments in the state to begin regularly posting a record of all their spending online. Almost immediately afterward, the city of Georgetown announced that it, too, would join the growing statewide push for a very simple form of transparency.

Show Us Your Work

Friday's editorial praises N.C. Gov. Beverly Perdue for her efforts to preserve openness in North Carolina government and encourages South Carolina lawmakers to follow her example.

Transparency in government was a buzzword in most of last year's campaigns - a promise that's easy for candidates to make on the trail and quickly forget once in office. If N.C. Gov. Beverly Perdue's first veto is any indication, however, she may be one politician who meant what she said.

Scandal Shows Need for Real Ethics Reform

Sunday's editorial suggest that some good could come out of the Sanford scandal after all: strong ethics reform to remove the gray areas where he is currently fighting to retain his job.

Gov. Mark Sanford's new full-time job of throwing statewide pity parties for himself is disturbing in its own right, but one protest he repeats ad nauseum has been particularly jarring: Everyone else does it, so why can't he?

No One to Trust

Saturday's editorial considers the shortcomings of the S.C. Ethics Commission, which has been asked to investigate Gov. Sanford.

Nearly 20 years ago, South Carolina was rocked by an FBI sting called "Operation Lost Trust" that led to the indictments of more than two dozen members of the legislature on various corruption charges. With valiant cries of "Nevermore," remaining lawmakers endowed the S.C. Ethics Commission with the task of policing its public officials.

How has that worked out?

"I can't think of a single recent case of any major scandal in South Carolina where the Ethics Commission had a role in discovering illegal or unethical behavior," said Bryan Cox, a spokesman for the S.C. Policy Council, a nonpartisan group that advocates for smaller but more transparent government.

Airborne Violation

Wednesday's editorial expresses our growing feeling that, after the most recent disclosures, the end of Gov. Sanford's term may be nearing.

Mark, we tried to be there for you.

When you told us you'd been hopscotching across continents for a matter of the heart - blowing off not only us South Carolinians but also those economic developers who wanted to meet about a project amid our state's double-digit unemployment - we told you we were disappointed. But a man's got to do what a man's got to do, even if it makes a fool out of him (and his state).

Fiddling While Rome Burns

Sunday's editorial questions North Myrtle Beach's continued evasiveness about its response to April's wildfire:

Ask any question about why an out-of-control wildfire was able to devour dozens of homes in North Myrtle Beach, and city leaders there will likely give you the same answer (if they give you an answer at all):

It wasn't their fault.

Victories for Transparency

Thursday's editorial praises two recent decisions to protect the public's access to open records in Surfside Beach.

Next week, the Surfside Beach Town Council plans to finalize a highly commendable exercise in good government: putting its monthly check register online for anyone to see. Coupled with their recent decision against charging for most records requests, town leaders have made a commitment to conduct public business in the sunshine that voters should applaud.

Fighting for Sunshine

Thursday's editorial praises a raft of governmental transparency initiatives being pushed by one candidate for governor.

Nearly a year ago, state Rep. Nikki Haley flew into Myrtle Beach with Gov. Mark Sanford as a stop on a statewide tour in support of her bill placing all of state lawmakers' votes on the record. That effort had limited success, but Haley, now a Republican candidate for governor, is intensifying her push to make the S.C. Statehouse more transparent, and outlined three laudable initiatives Tuesday to the Myrtle Beach Republican Women's Club: