AND WHY “MORE MONEY” ISN’T THE ANSWER …
By Will Folks || My website has written extensively in the past about South Carolina’s terrible, rotten, no-good infrastructure – documenting repeatedly how the problem has nothing to do with resources and everything to do with politics.
For an in-depth treatment of the problem, CLICK HERE. And for an in-depth look at why “more money” isn’t the answer, CLICK HERE.
The solution? Simple: If South Carolina’s state government would just stop blowing billions of dollars on non-essential items – including non-essential roads and bridges – then it might have the money it needs to build and maintain essential items (including vital infrastructure priorities).
This stuff isn’t hard, people … figure out the things government should do, then fund them commensurately.
Obviously I’m one of those rabid small “L” libertarians, but even I understand construction and maintenance of roads and bridges is a public responsibility – which means it’s one of those few things I think the taxpayers should be on the hook for.
The only problem is government – especially state government in South Carolina – is the absolute worst when it comes to prioritizing needs and resources. Which is why taxpayers keep pumping more money into government, only to see diminishing returns on core functions like roads and bridges.
Cross into South Carolina on any interstate and the difference is immediately, abundantly clear. In North Carolina and Georgia the interstates are evenly paved, clean and well-maintained. In South Carolina? The grass is up to your mirror, there’s trash everywhere and oh yeah … you’re in for a bumpy ride.
This weekend my family crossed into South Carolina from North Carolina on a rural two-lane back road – and the difference between the two highways was like night and day. The North Carolina rural highway was smooth, trash-free and neatly manicured.
The South Carolina highway? It looked (and felt) like something that belonged in an impoverished third world country … which now that I stop and think about it …
Look, this website has crunched the numbers. It has broken down the unusually large size of South Carolina’s state-maintained system of roads, the exorbitant costs per mile taxpayers spend on the system and the ongoing lack of prioritization regarding specific projects.
But you don’t have to memorize the facts and figures of the latest S.C. Policy Council memo to know something’s wrong … it’s painfully obvious to anyone who’s driven in one of our neighboring states.
Will Folks is the founding editor of the website you are currently reading.
96 comments
When Liberals want to raise taxes, they invent a crisis to extract money..
If you watch, liberals are putting a ‘bad-roads’ campaign together, in hopes of getting people scared. If they can get into a frenzy of fear, you’ll take out your wallets, and throw them at the government, and beg them to save us…they hope…Raise my gas taxes please…
Kiss my @$$…FITS. You ain’t gettin’ no more money, no matter what kind of emergency you can invent…
You took the money I gave you for roads, and added 50 million people more in food stamps..Don’t you have money for illegals to go to college?
Not only that your lord-god Obama has F*#ked up the economy, and we cannot AFFORD to pay for roads AGAIN…So STFU.
Best roads I’ve seen was when I was in Minnesota, around 2006. Solidly Dem, but not raging liberal, more middle of the road, on state policy, state. I drive from SC to NC every day and do NOT see much difference.
Actually, some of the roads I travel from between NC and SC are better in SC.
Federal roads, no doubt.
No, they’re state roads.
which state road are you on when you cross between states?
145 or 109.
Isn’t Minn. where that bridge collapsed a few years ago???…and the media said that was the reason to pass the Stimulus…for all those shovel ready (fix the roads) jobs Obama told us he was going to provide.
6 years later, there are 12 million more unemployed, taxes are higher, even w/o Obamacare….and now FITS is telling us how good it’s gonna be, if we just pay more taxes for roads…..LMAO…
You’re driving interstate. And don’t tell me otherwise when my friends in sneaky places already know.
Being honest, I would say that many states I routinely visit have horrible roads. Some of the worst being in Illinois. I can also say that my own neighborhood roads are crumbling. I wonder if there is more to this than just the roads. Is asphalt the same quality it was in the past or has the formula changed to become more “green”?
I travel Rt. 268 in Chesterfield County and cannot believe how the potholes are fixed. One week they’re filled; and the next week the asphalt is all out of them. Can it be the quality of the material or the quality of the workers? It sure keeps them in work! Our county roads are mostly dirt and need constant grading. If all the money they spend on constant grading was spent on paving them, they would not keep needing upkeep, and the county would have less workers on the payroll. I once said that to a grader operator, and he outright said he would be out of a job.
I travel all over the country. Was just in the Carolina’s and their roads (both states) are better than ANYTHING I see in the Midwest and Florida.
My wife hates HWY 17 because of the traffic however the roads are fine.
If it were more ‘green’, it would likely be better. 30 years ago The Washington Monthly ran a story about how they build roads to last in Europe. Here, our politicians keep steering contracts to their friends to do shoddy work more and more frequently so they can afford those campaign contributions.
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
What the fuck is ‘green’ and you apparently have knowledge of felonious activity by elected , state officials.
Put up or shut up!!!!
South Carolina’s embarrassing roads are actually (R)oads – that (R) follows the name of most elected officials in South Carolina – so the next time you hit a pot-hole while driving down the road – think (R)oad.
Puts an upbeat spin on (R)oad kill, doesn’t it?
What is your deal with wanting to ‘kill’ (R)?
A couple of months ago you were threatening bloggers with violence from your alleged ‘perch’ in San Antonio?
You okay?
“You okay?”
Trust me – you need to be worrying about whether you are okay or not . . .
Really? Ok. “Trust” you? I never trust liberals because they lie.I will however take YOUR apparent threat seriously.
Please don’t have me or the wife ‘harmed’ before we hit Great American Ballpark on August 12th and 13th. Red Sox and Reds. It is a ‘bucket list’ kinda thing.
Fool.
Go back to Ohio.
What is your deal with wanting to ‘kill’ (R)?
——-
Been reading long? Road kill implies the accidental demise of cute little woodland creatures by the cold, uncaring machines of death piloted by generally unaware tea party members… the only positive aspect arising from this common byproduct of our nation’s constant need for speed is the occasional appearance of a fried flattened furry friend or two at the table of the hungry…
Should this unavoidable random process also imply fewer Republicans… bonus!
Careful you are talking way above Dumfuck Sandi Idiots level of comprehension. It only knows how to defend Haley.
Didn’t the D gobble up all the money on food stamps, welfare, “fixing” education, Medicaid…and endless hand-out programs???
Uhhh–no. Got numbers or just red meat for the base?
$8 trillion added to the deficit. 50 million more on food stamps, Common Core, and billions in national expansion of Medicaid, a costly fraud-filled scam, that is breaking us. 12 million fewer with jobs.
My guess is: numbers won’t mean anything to a Dumb@$$ who cannot count.
$8 trillion added to the deficit. 50 million more on food stamps, Common Core, and billions in national expansion of Medicaid, a costly fraud-filled scam, that is breaking us. 12 million fewer with jobs.
My guess is: numbers won’t mean anything to a Dumb@$$ who cannot count.
Can you spell – Iraq ?
Yet, Tango’s on medicaid running his silly mouth.
All of you naming yourself to TRY to make your point, is a sign of a lack of articulation, unless you’re trying to articulate your ignorance.
Or a dumb@$$ who pulls numbers out of context. Since you are the numbers person, how much debt did we rack up with 2 unfunded wars, big corporate and big farm welfare, a prescription drug benefit program paid for on the federal credit card (along with the giveaway to Big Pharma in agreeing to no discounts for the drug purchases for the program). And there were those tax cuts you were sure would save the economy. BTW, national debt is NOT breaking us. Your fantasies about trickle down and austerity fixing the economy just might though.
Nothing compares to Obama’s spending or waste. And we’ve gotten nothing but WORSE, with a suffering population. Just shut up you idiot. You ask me and I answered. Quit making an even bigger fool of yourself.
That would be “asked”, dumb@$$.
You got nothing but a truckload of dumb@$$ that you want to dump here and there and everywhere
And it sucks when I’m based in facts that dispel the myths, fables, and lies that your puppet-masters use to control you with: Doesn’t it? LMAO….
Facts are verifiable. Bring it, or STFU.
And don’t bother with the ad hominem attack or straw man because you have no facts.
Go price a Tomahawk missile.
The government is MANDATED to pay for defense, you ignorant F*#k…spending on liberal causes is not written into law, except by Dumb@$$ liberals like you.
If only the truly educated could vote, your stupid @$$ – and the hand-out beggars like you – would be SOL…
ROAD
(R)epublicans
(O)stensibly
(A)ctually
(D)emocrats
You have to love this crap. Republicans take over the state, run it into the ground for twenty + years and when the inevitable results; when we get exactly what everyone said we would get if we let Republicans run the state, the non-elected Republicans claim the elected Republicans were never Republicans at all. i.e. don’t blame Republicans for Republican screw ups; blame Democrats.
Ok, here is a suggestion, we elect Democrats. Maybe they are not Democrats and will fix all the thing the not Republicans screwed up.
One party dominance is a problem no matter which party is in charge. It was the same problem up until the seventies when the Democrats controlled the state. The Democrats are collaborating with the Republicans not the vigilant opposition that they should be.
On the state level, the problem is opposite the federal level. They get along too well.
That $90 Billion Obama gave (the now bankrupt) Solyndra, and all those “green” energy fruitcakes would buy a lot of safe roads….
Instead, it was wasted on solar panels that were dumped in the trash pile, because no one can afford the ignorance and expense of “free” power…
Fits, you’re a GD fraud. I travel on NC mountain roads at least 2-3 days per month including Fletcher, Edneyville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Asheville, Weaverville, Swannanoa, Marion, and others. They are serviceable, no doubt. That does not address, however, SC’s deficiencies.
The difference in SC and NC is the gas tax. The difference in SC and Ga. is the gas tax. The difference in you and reality is, very simply, a fundamental understanding of mathematical concepts. Did you learn Math at Newberry College? Were you exposed to math in Prep School?
It is complete bullshit that roads can be maintained with savings of Admin. costs, or that they can be maintained without increases in fuel/gas taxes. You can bloviate all you want about costs but costs include maintenance that must be a part of the fuel taxes that are designated to pay for roads.
This GD “Moneytree” concept advocated by both candidates for Gov. and, obviously, approved by you is simply a damn dishonest, unworkable, and bullshit concept designed for numbnuts of the public and fools like you.
Your parents and grandparents who paid for your education should get a refund. They were victimes of a GD private education scam.
Tell you what, should it be needed, I’ll be in your camp about raising the gas tax AFTER we: (1) let the army of SCDOT engineers do what they used to do, and design projects in-house (currently these bozos are mainly high paid paper pushers who interact with outsourced consultants and engineers… thus, taxpayers are paying twice); (2) we suspend stupid/unneccessary projects immediately; (3) we slap tolls on thoroughfare interstates such as I-95; (4) we reorganize SCDOT so that we take out the politics which allow 4 lane rural highways to nowhere while at the same time having 2 lane highways that exist in crowded places such as Irmo to Chapin; and (5) we start giving roads back to the local government to maintain, like most other state states (SC is ranked 4th in state roads, nationwide),,, until then, I’m not interested.
What a dumbass. Tolls on SC interstates? After paying tolls on the WV Turnpike?
Stay on I-75 folks and head to Florida. Roads are free.
Tolls are a great idea. You calling anyone a dumbass is the pinnacle of irony.
Let’s hear some more blind Haley cheerleading from you, as you are her perfect representative. You talk a small government game(except for toll roads of course!) but play big government ball.
Hear Hear. All but #3 and major bridges under #1.
Amen,tell it like it is ,need to start over at the D.O.T. from the top down.
He learned his math from Mark Sanford.
Remember how Sanford played with and manipulated numbers?
Sanford apparently knows how to add and subtract. Has he ever lost an election?
Has a republican ever lost a election in SC, what a no brainer Sandi.
David Beasley come to mind Bozo!
I forgot, wonder why, no bagger or K money I guess.
Primaries, Deo? Has Sanford ever lost any GOP primaries? Graveyard is full of GOP Sanford-slain politicos.
Thanks to Argentina, he isn’t losing erections either.
He’s got a hot chick now – not that stick of a woman with the mean streak.
You’re a deranged sociopath. Fits has more brains than you are trying to acquire by adding more to that single cell of yours. Now sit down and shut the fuck up.
Be objective Will.
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-overview/industry-economics/fuel-taxes/gasoline-tax
Total state gasoline tax and fees.
Southeast states – highest to lowest in cents – note the highest and lowest.
North Carolina ——- 36.75
Florida——————– 36.02
W. Virginia ————- 35.70
Kentucky ————— 32.50
Georgia —————— 27.49
Maryland ————— 27.40
Tennessee ————- 21.40
Alabama —————- 20.87
Mississippi ———— 18.38
Virginia —————— 17.28
South Carolina ——–16.75
I don’t have a problem with an increase in the gas tax if it went to road repairs. But the politicians put it in the general fund where it is pi–ed away on waste and corruption.
My point isn’t that I favor a tax increase. It is that Folks leaves vital information out when offering his opinions.
It has been 25 years since SC raised the gas tax.
http://itep.org/itep_reports/2014/04/how-long-has-it-been-since-your-state-raised-its-gas-tax.php#.U-g0-snD-BY
$1.00 when the tax was last changed in 1989 is worth $0.52 now.
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl?cost1=0.52&year1=1989&year2=2014
Increase fuel efficiency since 2005, is reducing the amount of taxes collected per vehicle mile. Vehicle miles and weather are the primary causes of road damage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/12/13/cars-in-the-u-s-are-more-fuel-efficient-than-ever-heres-how-it-happened/
Don’t worry, after almost 4 years in office Haley has a double top secrect plan to fix the roads. A plan sooooo good she can’t possibly share the details until AFTER the election.
http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/politics/2014/07/01/haley-offer-road-plan-jan/11896339/
Damn, that get’s my vote.
It i all a moot point; Senator Leatherman has decided we will have a gas tax and that is it. In June the Republicans gave him even more power than he had before, making him the most powerful man in the state by a factor of at least 2.
While our governor is off raising money and the other constitutional officers, with rare exception, are golfing and the like, Leatherman is deciding the large issues of the day. We have an elected dictator and he rules and that, is that.
The difference in SC and NC is the gas tax. The difference in SC and Ga. is the gas tax.
The Dept of Redundancy Department would like a word with you.
Your parents and grandparents who paid for your education should get a refund. They were victimes of a GD private education scam.
ADAGE/REGGAE SONG TITLE/PRO TIP:
If you live in a glass house…
don’t throw stones.
Stop voting up your own post, moron. And as to you others, we see all of your IP numbers and out programs go right past your proxies.
GET A CLUE.
Only those who don’t have a clue would believe you can see our IPs, let alone see past proxies.
I thought the “Chinese” label in Chinese was quaint.
Never in my life have seen SC roads this bad. Driving around Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Florence, Beaufort …. its just totally shameful. And what comes to mind is that criminal House Speaker Bobby Harrell and his almost One Billion dollar 526 Boondoggle.
Why is the matter with Harrell’s crimes being dragged out by SC Judge Casey Manning? Between him and Harrell’s attorneys, are they trying to figure out a way to save Bobby from a life behind bars? They should know that over 75% of the state’s population all agree, that Harrell is a felon.
We don’t need higher taxes or more taxes to fix our states decrepit roads. We need to pull these elected gang members out of office by the collar, throw them in jail, and then spend our money where it is actually needed the most. Our roads are killing peoples pocket books in front end alignments and repair – and also putting everyone’s lives more in jeopardy upon our roads and bridges.
South Carolina Highways or Die Ways …. is the choice really ours? Answer: Not with these pretentious corrupt fools in office. I am all for throwing the law books at them. Lord knows, they deserve it!
Damn. Why not just relax and have a cold beer at Calloway’s in Columbia? Great food/beer and service.I can report there were NO potholes in the parking lot and my vehicle didn’t need front end alignments and repair after a dozen wings and a pitcher of Miller Light.
What the fuck is wrong with you liberals? How can you be so miserable?
It must be because they don’t drink Miller Light
Broadening your shilling horizons? You get a free beer every time you say Calloways?
This comment brought to you by the Smirks for Emperor of the Galaxy campaign and Smirksburgers Restaurants. Burgers that’ll make you drool, vote for my iron fisted rule.
That’s one restaurant I’ll never go to now.
Hey Great Idea!! “They should know that over 75% of the state’s population all agree, that Harrell is a felon.” We can do away with the entire justice system. We don’t need evidence. We don’t need proof. We just need people to read scholarly reports like FitsNews. The “facts” are all laid out there for you.
Your right, not in this state. Got any Nikki FACTS with ya ?
Teabaggers don’t give a shit about roads all they care about is staying in office. The number one is Haley.
BENGHAZI!!!!!!!
The $1 billion I-526 extension in Charleston, to ease the travel burden of millionaire residents on Kiawah and Seabrook — and build more homes there, is pushed by Harrell, McConnell. Regardless the insanity of this wasteful spending, nothing will change. The people of S.C. are just D – U – M – B.
McConnell? What does the C of C President have to do with I-526?
Property, housing developments, millions paid for personal gain, where you been ?
and, of course, you have provable details, right?
What was his job before being LtGov and Prezzie?
Gomer used present tense not past.
What we need is another Blue Ribbon Commission to study this and give us a report. ACIR studied it over 20 years ago and when the cost to bring our infrastructure up to par was over $60 billion our political jellyfish ran for the hills. Face it, SC is in a mess and we must like it. The road to ruination is paved with platitudes and political soundbites. And our politicians can talk the talk with the best. We get what we elect and we are reaping the whirlwind of political whoredom. The Democrats and Republicans have us where they want us, which is dumb and happy. Vote Independent for a change.
LMAO…..So typical of a liberal…Hahahaha…
As long as a state or local AGENCY has any say in selecting projects (whether new construction or repair) the selection process will be shabby (incompetent, biased, up to corrupt). The middle management of agencies themselves are selected mainly for their ability to say “Yes!” to anyone with influence. And to over-ride (or prevent) the technically based recommendations of staff. Developers will get new roads and bridges to where THEY have land and plans, just like they now get the new schools. Fixing what needs fixing will get short shrift. An independent OPEN process of prioritization is essential but almost impossible to obtain.
Along similar lines, I have seen brand new neighborhood streets disintegrating and potholing before half the homes were built, that is how thin and poor they are. The City of Columbia still accepted the roads “as is” for maintenance in perpetuity, of course.
More money and one list won’t solve everything by a long shot.
South Carolina IS WORSE than many third world countries. How is this possible in a state that has been run by Republicans for decades? I guess we need to vote them in just one more time for superior conservative ideology to turn our state into republican heaven?
Nitrat likes to post under dozens of different names. He talks to himself on fits.
Says the guy who posts with random names.
I do believe SCDoT needs more funding, but agree that the first thing that needs to be done is to get their shit in order. We need a DoT that is working efficiently, then they can tell us what they need.
The real stupidity is that government can do anything more than establish a well-armed state militia and disburse funds to private companies to create and maintain infrastructure. Instead, we have spent our wealth on maintaining a culture of poverty among the poor, and fomenting poverty among those who could easily afford their health treatments. They didn’t plan very well, either. Now we are paying the price through poverty of infrastructure. Taxation is theft. We must either rid ourselves of these thieves, or forever become slaves to the idea that we must steal as little as possible.
Once again we are forced to listen to the Republican myth, that the country is being bankrupted by poor people on food stamps. Go back to your Beck chat room.
We are living in an entitlement culture. Disability rates are rising in the 55 to 64 population, after decades of decline.
Efforts by medical community to explain this trend are not convincing. Medicine has advanced, smoking has decreased, worker safety has improved and vehicle injuries declined.
The most obvious explanation is increased availability of disability benefits. Increases in difficult to diagnose problems like depression or muscular – skeleton injuries.
Superb rejoinder.
Gotta love the Harbison/Irmo bridge that crosses the interstate/I-26. Full of holes. That is one of the most heavily traveled bridges in Columbia. That bridge WILL collapse.
In regard to I-526, there are simple, inexpensive solutions to improve traffic in the area. An overpass on Savannah Hwy at Main Rd., improvements to Johns Island intersections, and a widening of Maybank Hwy. to match the lanes on the bridge would dramatically improve traffic, but the politicians won’t build any of these improvements because they prefer the overblown, incredibly expensive “solution” of building an interstate extension.
Greg Ryberg (RINO – Aiken), longtime President and CEO of REI, Inc., the fuel company, gets the roads in his private gated community repaired for free. He sends the bill to the SCDOT. Simple, simple. Sweet.
Dude, that aint the half of it. Third world – I visit the third world and I think you do them dishonor. Want to see a big traffic jam, try I-95 North just south of the Savannah River – get’s all backed up because three lanes go to two lanes. SC is so dumb we can’t even figure out we need to get three lanes for I-95 from GA to NC. And your Congressional delegation is so inept they can’t even get the money – thanks again Lindsay Lohan Graham – maybe if you’d take that carrot out of your —— you’d figure that out. Try another great one – come out of Asheville – get through Bible land and where the freeways south of Spartanburg merge – another cluster jam. The only decent one is I-77 near Charlotte and that’s probably because Wells Fargo insisted SC improve the highway before they put any jobs there. Drive up 378 some time – and wonder what in the world am I doing on this dumb road. Those towns aren’t just crap holes, their pot holes. It just goes on and on. I guess paying people $145,000 a year to mow I-26 from Bowman to Columbia takes up a lot of the cash.
One of the biggest mistakes SC has ever done, was allowing all the Yankee influence into the DOT. Those jerks have totally screwed up our highways. They have put salt on the roads, where it has not been necessary in the past. The salt is destroying the bridges, highways, and everything it comes into contact with including your cars. Worse of all, instead of simply closing down the interstates due to dangerous ice conditions, as we have always done in the past (i.e. saving lives and property). They went out with road scrappers/snow plows and ripped the interstate highway surfaces to shreds. Newly poured asphalt on I-26 was torn to pieces by those fools dragging steel snow plows all over the surfaces. Just plain stupid!!!