For those of you who are as bad at keeping up with holidays and special occasions as I am, Labor Day is Monday, September 6. The event starts at 4:00 PM, and it’s located at1155 Eaglewood Trail on James Island, which is off Ft. Johnson Road near James Island High School.
Tickets are $15.00 per person (children under 10 are free), which gets you BBQ chicken, and two sides with rolls and cookies! Free parking, music and entertainment provided, but be sure to bring some chairs!
Here are some of the candidates you’ll find at this event:
Congressional candidates Tim Scott – 1st CD - and Jim Pratt – 6th CD
Ken Ard – Lt. Governor
Alan Wilson – Attorney General
Mike Zais – Superintendent of Education
State House candidates Peter McCoy (HD 115), Sean Pike (HD 116) and Lee Edwards (HD 119)
Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnellSenator Chip Campsen
Representative Chip Limehouse
Representative Mike Sottile
South Carolina lawmakers chose paying for weight-loss surgery for obese state workers at $24,000 a pop over putting teachers in the classroom, one state senator said Thursday.
Sen. Greg Ryberg, R-Aiken, said special interest groups won a victory over taxpayers when the Legislature decided to put $2.4 million toward gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery for 100 state employees, under a state health plan pilot program that begins Jan. 1.
“I think that with folks being furloughed or losing their jobs that it’s the wrong message to send,” Rep. Mike Sottile, R-Charleston, said.
But Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said obese state workers are destined for massive health problems, and finding ways cut health costs is a good idea.
“If it will save us money and save their lives,” he said, “then together it’s a good investment.”
Meanwhile, T. Karl Byrne, a surgeon at the Medical University of South Carolina, said gastric bypass and adjustable gastric band surgery, among other stomach-shrinking procedures, already are proved to be cost-effective. North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia are among the majority of Southeastern states that cover the procedure for state workers, he said. Medicaid and Medicare also cover it, he said.
“We do not need 100 patients in a pilot program in this state,” Byrne said. “We already know what the results are.”
Byrne said the initial cost of the surgery is high, but the cost savings over time are tremendous. Most of the time, obese people after significant weight loss no longer need treatment for high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and a host of other health issues, he said. So, with an up-front investment, the state can save cash over time by avoiding the cost of prescription drugs and associated treatment for obese individuals on the payroll, Byrne said.
Byrne said he is worried that the state’s pilot program will be shortsighted by looking only at one budget year to the next instead of factoring in long-term savings. Bariatric surgeons such as Byrne have access to a national database with thousands of cases documenting the success and risks of the procedures, he said. The database provides proof that the procedure is a sound investment for the state, Byrne said.
“You’re going to save a boatload of money,” he said.
The state health plan — including educators and retirees — covers about 394,000 people.
The state Budget and Control Board gave its stamp of approval on the pilot program Thursday.
The state covered bariatric surgery for state workers from 2001 to 2004, but the procedures were deemed too risky and not cost-effective. That coverage ended Jan. 1, 2005.
Access to the pilot program will be divided among the state’s regions and provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The state does not track how many employees are overweight or obese, nor would those individuals be targeted for the surgery.
The state health plan will monitor the 100 patients for 18 months to see whether the pilot program is cost-effective.
South Carolina’s population is among the worst nationally when it comes to weight problems. Nearly 63 percent of adults are overweight or obese, while the national rate is 60.8 percent, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. South Carolina’s children are also heavier than many kids elsewhere. Nearly 34 percent of children in the state are overweight or obese, compared with 31.6 percent nationally.
The House and the Senate had little, if any, floor debate on the pilot program, according to legislators. The program also did not receive an up or down vote because it is tucked into the $5 billion budget.
By Yvonne Wenger, “The State”, August 13
]]>According to the Isle of Palms Fire Chief, Ann Graham, a mix of alcohol and baking soda normally quells the pain and allows the wound to heal nicely. However, on rare occasions there may be a need to go to the hospital if the sting victim goes into shock.
Graham also warned against picking up the jellyfish or stepping on them. Sometimes they wash up on shore and are still able to sting you long after they are dead. The tentacles can even fall off and cause a sting if you come into contact with them.
Let’s all be sure to be extra cautious when visiting our beautiful beaches this summer, and avoid harmful run-ins with nature and her little critters.
As for the Washington liberals, my advice is to send strong conservatives like Tim Scott and Jim DeMint to Washington this November. After all, conservatives are not known for stinging taxpayers with reckless spending…
Sincerely,
Mike Sottile
State House Representative
District 112
I ask for your vote tomorrow. As always, please call my cell phone at 224.9260 if you have any questions.
Sottile Calls On Bustos To Retract Statements
Sottile: “Gutter politics is running our state into the ground.”
Isle of Palms, SC – This weekend Mt. Pleasant voters received a mailing from State House candidate Joe Bustos encourging Mount Pleasant voters to vote against Mike Sottile because he lives in Isle of Palms. Bustos claims that Mount Pleasant voters need to elect one of their own. Today Sottile demanded that Bustos retract his comments and apologize to all Charleston area voters.
“The entire Charleston area needs to work together to restore economic growth and create jobs for our unemployed families. Boeing might be centered in North Charleston, but employees will live on Daniel Island, James Island and Mount Pleasant. They’ll visit downtown restaurants, enjoy the beaches of Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island and Folly Beach. Every part of the Charleston area must work together,” SC Representative Mike Sottile said. “Pitting one area against the other is a recipe for failure.”
Bustos also attacked Sottile for voting for the cigarette tax. Sottile quickly answered Bustos’ accusations.
“This is the kind of gutter politics running our state into the ground. Joe Bustos tells voters that I voted for billions of dollars in tax increases, but he gives a ten year sum. Why not twenty years or fifty years? These types of dishonest attacks must top,” Sottile replied.
“Yes, I voted for the cigarette tax increase. We had the lowest cigarette tax in the nation and when polled, 85% of our district’s Republican voters said that they supported the tax increase. Smokers are driving up health care costs and its only right that they help foot the bill instead of making non-smoking families pay these exorbitant costs. This is the ONLY tax increase I will ever vote for.”
As our State Representative, Mike Sottile has been pushing for comprehensive tax reform that reduces the burden on working families instead of funding Columbia special interests. He has also been strongly pushing more roll call voting and he has pushed a specific spending caps plan that won’t let politicians spend more than a formula equal to population + inflation increases.
]]>2. Mike Sottile is helping create jobs in our region. He is endorsed by South Carolina’s major business groups including the SC Chamber of Commerce for his work to create a conservative atmosphere that promotes economic freedom. He will fight hard to bring more Boeings to our region.
3. Mike Sottile is shaking up Columbia. He’s pushing for mandatory spending caps that limit the amount of money politicians can spend each year. He wants to make pork barrel spending more transparent by requiring a roll call vote for every spending project and tax increase.
4. Mike Sottile is fight federal government intrusion. Mike knows that we must give our Attorney General the ability to fight the federal government when it pushes liberal takeovers and extreme social programs on South Carolina’s taxpayers.
5. Mike Sottile is fighting to maintain our conservative family values. He’s endorsed by South Carolina Right to Life because he wants to protect the conservative principles on which our great nation was founded.
VOTE TUESDAY FOR MIKE SOTTILE
OUR CONSERVATIVE VOICE
]]>We can continue to concentrate on problems and remain stuck in the pluff mud or we can get busy finding the commonsense solutions that will fix our state.
OUR VOICE FOR CONSERVATIVE SOLUTIONS
1. It’s time to rein in state spending. I’m pushing for mandatory spending caps that limit the amount of money politicians can spend each year. We should also make pork barrel spending more transparent by requiring a role call vote for every spending project and tax increase.
2. Let’s cut taxes and create jobs. When working families have more money to spend, our economy booms and jobs are created. We can get the job done by completely scrapping and rewriting South Carolina’s tax code that supports special interest groups instead of businesses.
3. Illegal immigrants must not be allowed to take advantage of our hard working taxpayers. The federal government has made too many promises that it has not fulfilled. It’s time for our state and local law enforcement to be given the tools to solve this problem themselves.
4. Our state government should give our area more assistance. South Carolina’s coastal tourism fuels much of the state’s economy and also shoulders much of the state’s burdens. Giving us more financial assistance for growth, transportation, and conservation isn’t pork barrel spending- it’s a wise investment.
5. Fight federal government intrusion. We must give our Attorney General the ability to fight the federal government when it pushes liberal takeovers and extreme social programs on South Carolina’s taxpayers.
]]>Keeping Our Taxes Low: We need to keep taxes low to bring new industry to our region, but we can’t do that if government is too big and inefficient. That’s why Mike is pushing so hard for spending caps, new spending transparency laws and restructuring for our outdated and unaccountable state agencies.
Reforming Our Tax Code: South Carolina’s tax code is killing job growth. It’s antiquated and unfair. Mike wants to completely scrap and rewrite out tax code with a fair formula that levels the playing field for business owners and workers.
Protecting Our Environment: Businesses need strong infrastructure and our families need safe roads. While growing our infrastructure we must not hurt our beautiful landscape that helps recruit new businesses and families to our region. Being a conservative begins with conserving our resources, both financial and natural.
]]>As in 2008, Mike Sottile of the Isle of Palms, now the incumbent, will face Joe Bustos of Mount Pleasant in the GOP primary June 8. No Democrats filed for that party’s primary.
Sottile, who just finished his first term in the Statehouse, said he’s learned the ropes and expects to hit the ground running if re-elected. Job creation, economic development and education are Sottile’s priorities and those of constituents he’s met on his campaign, he said.
Bustos, owner of a travel company and a former Mount Pleasant town councilman, lost to Sottile in 2008 while garnering 44 percent of the vote. He said the political climate is different this time around. People are paying more attention to their government than ever before, he said, but they feel disconnected from it because state and federal lawmakers did what they wanted instead of what they promised.
“I think we have a lot of work to do to regain that trust and to get this state and country back on an even keel,” Bustos said.
Bustos said he wants to shrink government by privatizing services, such as the state police academy, and supports changing state law so business license fees are based on net profits rather than gross receipts. He also favors the consumption-based “fair tax.”
The Legislature appointed a commission to look at the state’s tax structure, and Sottile said he wants to see its recommendations before drawing any conclusions.
“Everything is on the table,” Sottile said, adding that focusing only on business license fees seemed like a piecemeal plan.
Sottile said his appointment to the Judiciary Committee, and his role in helping persuade Boeing to set up shop in South Carolina, are among his accomplishments during his first term. Sottile said he’s been working hard for residents of his district but has learned that he can’t change things as fast as he’d like.
“You have to build coalitions. You can’t do anything by yourself. You have to be able to reach across the aisle at times to get things done,” Sottile said, adding that he’s done that.
Bustos said he’s a conservative, and emphasizes personal responsibility and making government smaller.
“Those are the key things on my mind,” Bustos said.
Joe Bustos
Age: 59
Family: Wife Kathy; children Kelly Ellsworth and Brian Bustos
Residence: 649 King St.
Occupation: Retired Army lieutenant colonel; certified flight instructor; Bustos Travel Service owner.
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Columbia College; master’s degree, Central Michigan University; master of science in administration, Army Command and General Staff College.
Public offices: Elected to Town Council in 2000, chairs Bids and Purchases Committee and sits on Annexation, Economic Development and Personnel committees; board member, Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority.
Website: votebustos.com
Contact: 822-6363, jmbustos@comcast.net, votebustos.com
Mike Sottile
Age: 61
Family: Wife Loraine; daughter Amy
Residence: 132 Sparrow Drive, Isle of Palms
Occupation: Independent insurance agent for 35 years, employed by C.T. Lowndes & Co.; retired Air Force veteran.
Education: Bishop England High School, attended Baptist College at Charleston.
Public offices: House District 112 representative, elected in 2008; former Isle of Palms mayor and City Council member.
Website: mikesottile.com
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