I was just reading the Herald and I ran across a story where Gov. Mark Sanford had a town hall meeting in Fort Mill on Wednesday. In the meeting the governor defended his stance on the stimulus and on why he opposes federal aid that could keep teachers in the classroom. Sanford told a banquet room packed with two hundred Fort Mill Rotary Club members that piling up more debt is not the answer to our states economic woes. The governor devoted about thirty minutes to explaining some economic facts about the state. Fort Mill Superintendent Keith Callicutt stood up to warn that Fort Mill schools could face a budget shortfall of up to five million dollars if they receive no stimulus aid. Another member of the audience stood up and said that she was worried that Fort Mill would lose its top draw for business-a highly regarded school district. Sanfort reinterated the fact that teachers and school districts should not plan on receiving any of the 700 million, which would have gone to classrooms, colleges, and public safety. Sanford said that he will not apply for the $700 million portion of stimulus funds. Outside of the meeting stood four protestors holding handmade signs. One rotarian stood up and told the governor that he had voted for him in the last two elections. The governor told him that on some days he thanks those who voted for him but on other days he curses those who voted for him. Of course, the governor said this with a grin. Personally, I do not know what the answer is, but I sure do hope that the governor knows what he is doing.
Nora
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To be frankly honest, I highly doubt that Governor Sanford knows what he is doing at all! It's one thing to talk like a politician and make promises, but it's another to actually help ALL South Carolinians by accepting money to help both public school classrooms and universities! Which will always be the right thing to do (the Democrat in me is talking right now, by the way).
As for his excuse, "piling up more debt is not the answer to our state's economic woes", The federal government has debts much bigger than that, which will never get repaid, and I doubt that there is a quick solution to repay state debt!!
Having worked for the Fort Mill School District for three and a half years, and from what I have seen, I do agree with Dr. Callicutt when saying that the district can lose up to five million dollars for the fastest growing district in the entire state. There was once a time where I have had to deal with 35 students in a high school class and this was before a second high school was built. If you can imagine this times three (one planning period), it can be a scary thing!! Especially for what will happen to those already teaching on a daily basis.
I'll stop here, before I go on my Democrat party soapbox and spend all day on this!
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