If you think back to June 2006 there was a very hotly contested Republican primary race for House District 16 between the incumbent Adam Taylor and the challenger from Fountain Inn, Mark Willis.
The primary campaign certainly was contested and at times down right ugly. The SCRG (South Carolinians for Responsible Government), or IRRESPONSIBLE Government as I refer to them, pulled out all the stops in support of Willis. They made sure out of state contributors contributed to his campaign in the thousands of dollars.
They sent mailer after mailer attacking Taylor. You remember, right? They said he wasted over fifty thousand dollars on a balloon race. In reality, he voted for a bill on tourism money that INCLUDED a line item for $50,000.00 for Freedom Weekend Aloft held each year here in the upstate. That one weekend contributes over a million dollars to the South Carolina economy.
Then, they sent a mailer saying he voted to waste $75,000 on a fish tank. In reality, Taylor voted, again, for a tourism bill that included that amount for the SC Aquarium in Charleston. The aquarium, another big tourist attraction for the state, also hosts thousands of public school students each year. The visits are tied to state standards for science.
I could go on, but I’m sure you can see, our “friends” at the SCRG were targeting Taylor. Targeting him with deceiving mailers. Why? I, along with thousands of others statewide, believe it was because Taylor did not support vouchers. As in, vouchers that would take money out of public schools and put that money into private schools. Private schools who would not have any accountability. Not for test scores, not for taking any and ALL students who wanted to attend.
On the other side, you had Mark Willis. Willis will tell you that he had hired a consultant to raise money. Willis will tell you it was this consultant, not him, who solicited the funds from the SCRG. And Willis will tell you that he didn’t have any ties, or affiliation to the SCRG. HE sure did accept their money now didn’t he?
The SCRG has several affiliated groups. The Club for Growth among them. That same organization also contributed to Willis.
Fast forward two years later. Adam Taylor is not seeking re-election. Willis ran and won the Republican nomination for the seat.
THIS time, Willis claims he’s pro public education. This time he claims his children are in public schools. My question is, how long have they ATENDED public schools? IF they suddenly enrolled after he lost in 2006 I have a problem with his motivation.
He says his wife teaches in public school. Again, my question is, how long? He claims he’s against vouchers.
Yet, mysteriously, last week residents of Laurens County got a mail-out sent BY the SCRG in SUPPORT of Willis. The SCRG’S MAIN GOAL is to get vouchers enacted in SC.
In this mailer they claim Willis is for more technology in schools. Smaller class sizes, and more highly qualified teachers. All these things are great, in THEORY! With the legislature already CUTTING MILLIONS from public education to balance the budget my question to Mark Willis is HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND THESE?????
It’s EASY to SAY you want all these things. It is MUCH HARDER to make them a reality. Now, let me say, Mark Willis and I agree on two things. He’s spot on that Laurens County schools need better technology, and smaller class sizes. The challenge has been and WILL be funding.
And, mark my words, with the newly instituted way schools are funded through sales taxes and NOT property taxes public schools are in for some rocky straights.
While I am not totally impressed with what I heard from Michael Turner during their debate last Thursday I’ll say this, Mark Willis has changed his positions, and loyalties way too much in two short years for my taste.
To me, he’s saying what he thinks he NEEDS to say to get elected. What’s he going to do once he gets to Columbia? To me, he WON”T be an advocate for Laurens County, and WON’T be an advocate for public education.
That’s enough to make say, if I had a vote, I’d be voting for Michael Turner.
That’s my rant, what’s yours?
No comments:
Post a Comment