Legislators talk about money

School funding, taxes on menu at breakfast meeting

February 1, 2005

By WALLACE McBRIDE
Index-Journal senior staff writer

Money was on the minds of state and local elected officials at breakfast Monday.
Representatives of Greenwood County Council shared a meal with legislative delegates in Lander University’s cafeteria. While a handful of issues were discussed — such as property tax disputes for separated couples, and the process of acquiring deeds for mobile homes — funding for schools dominated much of the morning’s conversation.
Among the issues was Gov. Mark Sanford’s proposal to use state money to pay for a statewide school board for charter schools, a task that comes with an estimated $600,000 price tag, said state Rep. Gene Pinson.
“I wasn’t crazy about the statewide charter school system, but I did support it — as an option,” he said.
“The state is already failing to support the public school system as is,” said County Councilman Gonza Bryant, who was critical of Sanford’s proposal to use public dollars to support private schools.
“I don’t anticipate some of the radical things he’s proposed being passed, at least on the House,” said state Rep. Mike Pitts.
“He’s using smoke and mirrors to fund things with money he doesn’t have,” said state Sen. Billy O’Dell.
For several years, the General Assembly has discussed a change in school funding, essentially replacing the property tax method of funding schools with a statewide two-penny sales tax.
The proposal has stalled in the past over disputes on how to spend the money generated by the new tax. The state currently collects a one-penny sales tax to fund the S.C. Education Improvement Act (EIA.)
EIA was also a topic of talks, specifically the frustration of county governments and school boards to maintain adequate funding for education. One of the EIA’s tasks is to set minimum funding levels for schools, but since its passage the measure has increasingly placed the burden of school funding on local property owners, said Greenwood County Manager Jim Kier.
“When the state cut District 50 by $1.5 million, it required us to increase their funding by $800,000. The only place we have to go is the property tax,” he said. “To keep throwing that burden on us when we’re in the same economic conditions as the state seems unfair.”
Approximately 71 percent of the county’s property tax bill goes to education, he said. None of the property tax increases during the last nine years have gone to benefit county operations.
“The schools are eating up the available property tax millage,” Kier said.

Lander baseball opens season today

February 1, 2005

By BRIAN HOWARD
Assistant sports editor

The cold weather doesn’t appear to be slowing down, but that hasn’t stopped the Lander University baseball team, which opens the 2005 season today at St. Andrews College.
Lander, which tied a school record with 33 wins last season, opens on the road, but returns home for a doubleheader Saturday at Legion Field.
Last season, Lander met St. Andrews twice, with the two schools splitting the series.
The Bearcats took the first game, 6-5, but lost the second, 15-5.
“We’re excited to be playing and tired of intersquading and facing each other,” Bearcats coach Mike McGuire said. “Any time you have David Wilson going to the mound, you feel good about it.
It’s early in the season, so it’s not like we can expect eight, nine innings out of him.”
“He’s probably going to be around seventy-five, eighty pitches. For him, that’s five or six innings. We’ve got several arms that will be ready to go.”
Wilson is the ace of the staff. The senior left-handed pitcher holds the record for strikeouts in a season with 92. He set the record in 2003 and matched it last season.
The Bearcats’ doubleheader is noon Saturday against Fairmont State (W.Va.) at Legion Field. Lander completes the series against Fairmont State 1 p.m. Sunday.

Opinion

Iraqi voters show world they’re strong on liberty

February 1, 2005

Critics of the U. S. involvement in Iraq didn’t take long after the election there to play down its importance. It didn’t mean all that much, they said. The true test of what will happen in a Saddam-less Iraq, according to critics, will be what happens in the days ahead. No kidding! Of course the days ahead will be important. Denying the historic significance and importance of this election, though, is sheer folly.
That kind of assessment of the Iraqi vote on new leaders is transparent. Too many who toe that line pulled for the election to be a big bust. They counted on a light turnout of voters to prove their point that U. S. efforts would fail. Many, to hear them say it, wanted the Iraqi election to fail and be a bad reflection on President Bush.

HOWEVER, A FUNNY THING happened as part of that gloom-and-doom wishful thinking. Millions of Iraqis voted. Shiites and Kurd voters were in the majority, as was anticipated. Nevertheless more minority Sunnis voted than expected.
Actually, 60 percent or better of registered voters cast ballots. That compares favorably with the numbers of Americans that vote in any given election. To their credit, Iraqi voters defied terrorist threats and a campaign of violence against them. Iraqi women, particularly, who have always been forbidden to do much of anything, including getting an education, turned out by the millions.

IRAQIS WHO VOTED IN THIS and other countries had a heavy turnout and left no doubt how they felt about finally having a vote. They also left little doubt how much they appreciated President Bush and all Americans for helping them do something most of them never even dreamed would ever happen.
In Iraq, voters were so determined to vote they obviously would not be cowered by the violence that terrorists have been spreading around the country for months. They overcame a variety of hurdles to go to the polls. One woman had to be carried, but she, too, was determined not to miss her chance at making history and having a say in her future.
Iraqis did indeed make history Sunday ….. big time. They showed the rest of the world what freedom means. They did it by gambling their lives. What more proof is needed? And how many South Carolinians would do as much?

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Frances Boland

WARE SHOALS, S.C. – Frances Brewington Boland, 89, widow of Sims “Dex” Boland died at Willow Creek Nursing Home, Monday, January 31, 2005. She was born in Spartanburg County, a daughter of the late Ben W. and Cora Lee Cox Brewington. She was retired from Riegel Textile Corp, and was a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church.
Surviving are two sons: Ray A. Boland and Charles Alton Boland both of Honea Path; one brother, John A. Brewington, Kershaw, S.C; a half-sister, Carrie Mae Thompson, Buffalo, S.C.; also ten grandchildren, thirteen great grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren, She was predeceased by two sons, Charlie R. Boland and Bobby E. Boland and grandchildren. Jimmy Ray Boland and Lisa Marie Vaughn.
Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 PM at Parker-White Funeral Home with Rev. Randy Fleming officiating.
Burial will follow in Mt. Olive Baptist Church Cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be Rodney Babb, Mickey Boland, Brian Boland, Barry Boland, Tim Boland and Walter Madden.
The family is at the home of Charles A. Boland, 17 Ball Road, Honea Path, S.C. and will receive friends at Parker-White Funeral Home, Tuesday, 6-8 PM.
PAID OBITUARY

Earl Botts

ABBEVILLE — Earl Botts, 64, of 113 Hunter St., died Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 at his home.
Services will be announced by Harris Funeral Home.

Marie Jeter Davis

CLINTON — Marie Jeter Davis, 76, of 215 S. Bell Street Circle, died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005.
Born in Union County, she was a daughter of the late Eddie and Georgianne Johnson Jeter. She was a member of Hebron Baptist Church and a former employee of the Whitten Center and School District 56. She was a member of Women’s Aide Society.
Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Gregory (Georgia) Braxton of Atlanta and Mrs. Saad M. (Janice) Abdullah of Newberry; a son, Charles Edward Jeter of Clinton; two sisters, Eddie Mae Jeter Cutler and Frances Jeter Creech, both of Clinton; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Services are 2 p.m. today at Hebron Baptist Church. Burial is in Orchard Park Memorial Gardens.
Childs Funeral Home is in charge.

Ann Elizabeth Ripley Gehring

SYLVA, NC – Ann Elizabeth Ripley Gehring, age 54, of Cottontail Run, died Sunday, January 30, 2005 at Harris Regional Hospital. A native of Huntington, WVA, Mrs. Gehring was a homemaker, a music teacher who loved to sing. She was a Registered Nurse, a member of the Parents Association of Asheville School, President of the Jackson County Recreation Board, volunteered for PTA at Fairview Elementary School, President of WCU Chorus, member of KUDZU Players, and a member of the Jackson County Advisory Board of AlG, president of Western Carolina University Chorus and a member of the Kudzu Players. Mrs. Gehring was preceded in death by her mother Frances Perry Ripley.
Survivors include her husband Dr. Paul S. Gehring, of the home; two daughters Molly and Sarah of the home; two brothers: John and wife Kitty of Austin, TX and Daniel “Andrew” and wife Norma Ripley of Huntington, WV; her father, Daniel C. Ripley of Huntington, WVA; mother and father-in-law, Robert and Rita Gehring, sister-in-law Barbara and husband Tim Burke, brother-in-law Robert and wife Amy Gehring, sister-in-law Betsy and husband Randy Carter, sister-in-law Martha and husband Mark Cron and R. Joyce Gehring, all of Cincinnati, OH; brother-in-law John and wife, Carolyn Gehring of Omaha, NE; sister-in-law Patti and husband Russ Coit of Sarasota, FL; and 17 nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 2, 2005 at the First United Methodist Church, Sylva, N.C., with Rev. Paul Christy officiating. The family will receive friends from 2:00 to 3:00 P.M. Wednesday at the church prior to the service. Moody Funeral Home and Crematorium, 714 W. Main St., Sylva, N.C. is assisting the family with the arrangements.
An online memorial and guest registry is available at www.pemoody.com.
PAID OBITUARY

Wade Hackett Jr.

Services for Wade “Mane” Hackett Jr. are 2 p.m. Wednesday at Oakbrook Memorial Park Chapel, conducted by Brother Larry Hackett. The body will be placed in the chapel at 1. Burial is in Oakbrook Memorial Park.
Pallbearers are Barry Wright Jr., Thomas Lewis Jr., Larry Hackett Jr., Kelwin Hackett, Perferio Bowie and Manuel Bowie. Flower bearers are Hazel Hackett, Brenda Hackett, Angela Cunningham and friends of the family.
Visitation is this evening at the home, 328 Carolina Ave.
Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc. is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Johnna C. Mitchell

McCORMICK — Johnna Cory Mitchell, 62, of 214 Marion Lane, wife of Joel Mitchell, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005 at her home.
Born in Sacramento, Calif., she was a daughter of the late John and Muriel Lambert Cory. She retired from IBM and was a member of the Red Hat Society, the Humane Society and McCormick United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Jennifer Mitchell Albert of Kernersville, N.C.; three sons, Joel Mitchell and Jon Mitchell, both of Raleigh, N.C., and Jeff Mitchell of Charlotte, N.C.; two sisters, Karen Cory of Reno, Nev., and Jackie Roy of Roseville, Calif.; a brother, Richard Cory of San Jose, Calif.; and four grandchildren.
A memorial service is 11 a.m. Saturday at McCormick United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Jerry M. James.
Visitation is at the church after the service.
The family is at the home.
Memorials may be made to HospiceCare of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646 or the Humane Society, P.O. Box 242, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Carroll Parks

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Carroll Parks, 57, husband of Katie Mae Parks of Greenwood, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005.
Thomas Funeral Home, Daytona Beach, is in charge.

Juanita Warren

BRADLEY — Juanita Butler Warren, 67, of 204 New Zion Road, Promised Land community, widow of Elmond “Bee” Warren, died Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Edgefield, she was a daughter of the late Clayton and Louise Butler. She retired from Greenwood Mills Mathews Plant No. 5 and was a member of Crossroads Baptist Church, where she was a member of the Missionary Society, Usher Board and Sunday School class. She was a member of Promised Land Auxiliary and the Promised Land Association.
Survivors include a friend of the home, George Edward Griffin; a son, Michael Butler of Greenwood; and three grandchildren.
The family is at the home of her son, 1314 Drew Ave., Greenwood and at the home.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Earl Watkins

CHAPPELLS — Luther Earl Watkins, 88, of 94 Watkins Circle, husband of Daisy Gibson Watkins, died Monday, Jan. 31, 2005 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Blyth Funeral Home, Greenwood.