YOUR TAXES AT WORK

With $1.8 billion more in money next year, bureaucrats have big wish lists.

Their taxpayer-funded requests include millions to promote private sporting events, businesses and products, with generous handouts to select companies.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism wants $1 million for tourism advertising, citing “substantial visitor spending losses” from recent hurricanes.

PRT has the popular band Hootie & The Blowfish, ready to “develop inspirational videos promoting travel” to South Carolina.

PRT and the Department of Commerce want $360,000 each to promote the private PGA Golf Tournament on Kiawah Island.

The Department of Commerce wants $250,000 for a new $65 million fund for “solely, and without exception” economic development in rural areas.

Commerce seeks $3.7 million for grants awarded by the state Coordinating Council for Economic Development which discusses grants in secret. This would cover building, road and infrastructure costs of companies locating or expanding in the state. Lawmakers have already approved nearly $21 million for the fund.

Commerce wants $4 million for “LocateSC” which pays for improvements to land and buildings to show industrial prospects.

The Department of Agriculture wants another $400,000 to market its “Certified SC Grown brand and its products more aggressively, through additional television commercials.”

This is a state-sponsored advertising campaign for South Carolina farmers and goods producers.

None of the 3 agencies is hurting for money. The budgets for this year are:

• $200.5 million for the Commerce Department.

• $136.7 million for PRT.

• $52.1 million for the Agriculture Department.

That doesn’t include millions in reserves they have to start with each year.

State agencies and several major state funds ended last year with nearly $3.9 billion in cash reserves.

The state’s total budget this fiscal year is more than $30 billion. The state Board of Economic Advisors projected an additional $1.834 billion in general fund revenues for next fiscal year.

Agency requests are provided annually to the governor, who submits his or her version to lawmakers who largely disregard it.

State law requires the House Ways & Means and Senate Finance committees to hold open hearings on the governor’s proposed budget within 5 days of receiving it.

Lawmakers routinely have ignored that law.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve. Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org .