Local government is funded primarily by property taxes. Have your property taxes declined during the recession? Of course not and nor has the county budget. From 2006 to 2008 the Florence County budget increased by 56 percent from 32 to 51 million.

The recession forced state legislators to make tough decisions just like your family did. Most state agencies suffered 40 percent cuts from the general fund. Since 2000, the number of full time state employees was reduced by 23 percent while Florence County increased by 17 percent.

Was it really necessary for county council to raise taxes? There is no way I would have voted for a tax increase, especially in the most difficult economic times of my life. All but one councilman voted for or praised the tax increase. I am proud of Roger Poston for voting against it.

In previously certifying non-incumbent candidates, I relied on representations made by Tony Piscatella, the Dorchester County Republican Party filing officer, that he had, through 'dumb luck,' required non-incumbents to file paper SEIs despite the filing instructions having no such requirement. I believed Mr. Piscatella and certified all non-incumbents except one who had never filed any SEI anywhere.

• Susan Minck was recently disqualified from her intended bid for Florence County Council but was expected to lose that bid handily. When visiting that area before she was disqualified, we counted at least fifty in-yard sign placements for the GOP nominee, but only one for her. She recently moved to Florence, but starting at the top isn't a way to learn the ropes.
  
  
• Tommy Phillips, a past Florence GOP leader, who recently lost his bid for Seventh GOP District Vice-Chair handily.
  
  
• Mike Reino, a past GOP contender for the Sixth Congressional District seat and former Sixth District GOP Vice-Chair. He's also the well-known author of the SC6 political blog who has developed a state-wide political following between his blog and involvement with the Four Horsemen, a power circle of four long-time GOP activists.
  
  
• Renee Woodberry is a relatively new face in the regional GOP circles. A hard-working local GOP volunteer, she was recently named campaign coordinator for a rural State House candidate.

• In a 7-2 ruling, the court concluded that the union did not give proper notice to non-union members before making the deductions.
  
  
• In a 5-4 ruling, the court ruled that the method used by the union to allow non-union members in the state's "agency shop" workplaces to "opt out" of such special fees was insufficient to protect their First Amendment rights, ruling that non-members should be sent a notice giving them the chance to "opt in" to the special fees.