A frightful slump in tax revenues

On those rare occasions when state legislators are able to pull themselves away from their impeachment plots and talk about something else, it tends to be the need to create jobs. What started out a year ago as a way to take a political swipe at Gov. Mark Sanford for his failure to fulfill his campaign promises to attract jobs and raise our state's per capita income has become about the only responsible thing legislators can think of to say in response to a frightful slump in tax revenues brought on largely by our soaring unemployment rate.

Certainly all of our leaders need to work on job development. They need to actively recruit new businesses, as Gov. Mark Sanford, Commerce Department officials and, increasingly, legislative leaders say they are doing. They need (especially) to look for reasonable changes they can make in state laws to encourage businesses already here to expand and would-be entrepreneurs to get off the fence and to make South Carolina more attractive to out-of-state businesses.

But significant job growth isn't going to happen overnight ...

Our Legislature has to come to terms with the fact that tax revenues are not going to recover anytime soon, figure out what it is that the government must do and allocate sufficient funds to do that — and eliminate programs and services that are really good for the state to provide but that are not absolutely essential. There simply is no responsible alternative.

The (Columbia) State

He still refuses to resign

With each passing week, it becomes more in doubt that Gov. Mark Sanford can focus on the duties of his office and provide the leadership required during these tough times. The governor has refused to resign after revelations of his long-distance affair, his decision to flee the state for almost a week without staying in contact with his office, and some plane trips that have raised serious ethical questions.

Sanford has said that despite his personal problems — that also include his wife packing her things and moving back to the Charleston area with the couple's four boys — he could serve the remaining 16 months of his second term and fulfill his responsibilities.

So far, more than two months after Sanford's return from his secret meeting with his Argentine lover, there are no persuasive signs that he's capable of leading this state that so desperately needs solid, forward-thinking leadership. ...

This state's unemployment rate is nearing 12 percent. The state budget will be cut an additional $200 million because revenue continues to fall. That means another average cut of about 4 percent for state agencies, colleges and local schools. ...

Serious questions have been raised about some of Gov. Sanford's travel on state aircraft and commercial flights, and lawmakers are right to insist on a thorough and timely investigation. But South Carolina cannot afford to be paralyzed for another year by this governor who now seems to be fighting only for his reputation.

The Greenville News