CCDP: School Choice Updates

Feedback Needed on the Charleston County Housing Plan

The Charleston County Council has recently come out with the last draft of its housing plan for Charleston County. The housing plan offers a variety of solutions to Charleston County’s housing crisis, including the following:

• Create and fund a Housing Trust Fund.
• Develop affordable housing on land the public already owns.
• Redesign zoning and land-use regulations to build more housing.
• Expand down-payment programs for homebuyers.
• Offer tax credits to preserve affordable housing.

The finalized version will be used by the County Council and regional organizations to craft policy solutions. The public is encouraged to read through the housing plan and consider how the housing plan could affect their personal housing options. 

The public has until March 1st to offer feedback before the final version is presented to the County Council.

South Carolina Legislature Update

The Republican-controlled South Carolina legislature started its new year in January and has already started acting on a number of extreme pieces of legislation. We’ll be spending the next few weeks looking at how the state legislature is handling several important issues, and this week we’re covering the Voucher Program, also known as School Choice

School Choice
While reviewing legislation in South Carolina, I was startled (well maybe not that startled) to find legislation being proposed to remove School Choice or Vouchers from Parents in our state. By removing this, the most uneducated would be the largest affected: Kids.

As stated by Linda Hardman in a message to Democrats in Greenville:
     “As currently written, the bill would give families $6000 to pay for private tuition. To qualify, students would need to be eligible for Medicaid. The following is a sampling of private school annual tuition in the Charleston area. The question is with the $6000 school vouchers proposed by the South Carolina legislature, will low-income families even be able to afford the balance of the tuition? Clearly, the proposed voucher (or scholarships, savings accounts, or choice) programs would make private school tuition out of reach for most low-income (and many middle-income) families. The beneficiaries most likely will be students already in private schools from upper-income families! Charleston Day School: $19,000-Kindergarten, $25,800-grades 1-8.  Porter-Gaud: $24,000-Lower School (grades 1-4), $29,200-Middle, Upper School (grades 5-12).  First Baptist: $12,500 for one child, $12,200 for 2 children (grades 9-12).  Ashley Hall: $23,000-29,750 (K-5^th grade), $30,000-32,000 (6^th-12^th grades).

     “If the voucher bill passes, it will likely be faced with legal opposition as the state constitution prohibits state funds from going to private schools. If their program does get stopped in court, Republican lawmakers may possibly pursue a constitutional amendment to remove the private school funding ban. House Speaker Murrell Smith (R), Sumter, has already filed legislation that would put that question on the ballot in November 2024. The state Supreme Court already blocked a similar attempt at a voucher program in October 2020 when Governor Henry McMaster tried to use federal COVID relief funds on vouchers to private schools.”

You can reach out to voice your opinion using the button below. Senator Greg Hembree is the chairman of the Committee on Education. Members of the committee include Senators Karl Allen, Richard Cash, Larry Grooms, Brad Hutto, Darrell Jackson, Dwight Loftis, Gerald Malloy, Shane Massey, Harvey Peeler, Luke Rankin, Rex Rice, John Scott, Nikki Setzler, Scott Talley, Ross Turner, and Tom Young.

Upcoming Events

Donate to the CCDP Blessing Box

The Charleston County Democratic Party needs a hand with some of our efforts to help the local community, including the Blessing Box in front of the CCDP Office in West Ashley. Our Blessing Box serves a clientele with few to no facilities for cooking. If you would like to help stock the Blessing Box, you can leave items in the Box at any time or drop off items at the Office (open Wednesdays 11-1 or by appointment).

When donating items for the Blessing Box:

• DO donate non-perishable items that will hold up in the weather.
  • canned vegetables and meats/fish, sauces in jars, boxes of rice or pasta are all good to donate.
  • to make it easier for others to use the Blessing Box: donate items that don’t require milk/butter/oil to prepare, and get cans with pop-tops that don’t require can openers.
• DO donate small personal care items that will fit in the blessing box.
  • examples include toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant.
• DO NOT donate any open or expired items.

Thank you! Everything contributed to the Blessing Box makes a great difference for our community.

Lowcountry Period Project Supplies Needed!

Additionally, did you know that our volunteers build period packs in support of the Homeless Period Project? The project provides pre-made kits for homeless shelters and nurse’s offices at Title IX schools in the Lowcountry. These items are a luxury to homeless women and girls, and many are forced to choose between hygiene and food. Please consider donating the following items so that we can continue to support this amazing project!

• individually-wrapped feminine pads
• individually-wrapped tampons
• individually-wrapped wipes
• individually-wrapped panty liners

Email wecare@charlestondemocrats.com to arrange a drop off time, or come attend a County meeting at the Office to see for yourself.

Thanks again for your generosity!