What are you lobbying for?

According to the South Carolina Ethics Commission there are currently 382 lobbyists that work at the South Carolina State House; 90 of those are paid by the taxpayer.

What exactly does this mean? This means that taxpayer dollars are spent in the practice of lobbying for more taxpayer dollars on an agenda which the taxpayer may not agree with and did not vote for.

To make this a little simpler, your tax dollars are spent to pay the salary, benefits, and expense accounts for individuals whose goal is take more of your tax dollars for their organizations and agencies. Many of these lobbyists are paid six figure incomes; one as much as $221,500. Doesn't this sound like a conflict of interest?

The budgeting process provides state agencies and organizations the opportunity to explain and justify their requests and budgetary needs. Why then does the taxpayer need to provide the funding for a lobbyist to push for additional dollars for these organizations?

Currently taxpayers are paying in excess of $3 million on this unethical practice. The state of South Carolina cannot adequately fund unemployment benefits and we have teachers furloughed in our public schools; yet there is $3 million available for taxpayer funded lobbyists. Where is the logic in that? Taxes should be used to cover the functions of government and not the practice of lobbying.

It is time for the taxpayer to become fully educated about where their money is being spent and engaged in the effort to change some of the more ridiculous practices in Columbia. The economy is terrible, people are out of work and businesses are closing. However, government spending isn't slowing down in the least.

Listed here are the agencies, organizations and municipalities that employ lobbyists at your expense. I like Greenville; but should I really be paying for their lobbyist? I am a graduate of The University of South Carolina; but I should not be paying for their lobbyists (yes, multiple) with my tax dollars either! Spending like this must stop!

I was in Washington, D.C., recently on vacation with my family. I stood at the Lincoln Memorial and once again read the words of the powerful Gettysburg Address. They are wonderful words, rich in meaning and important in our country's heritage; "a government of the people, by the people and for the people." When did lobbyists unknowingly paid by the taxpayer enter into this equation?

Thanks to Megan Kirby with the South Carolina Policy Council for all of her research on this project.

The writer is an Aiken resident and S. C. Policy Council board member. She and her husband operate a small business in downtown Aiken.