Issues & Positions

League of Women Voters^®
of the Charleston Area

2010-2011 action items. Other positions. State positions. National positions.

Below is the 2010-2011 program of the League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area, as adopted at the annual meeting held on May 20, 2010. You can also view a printable Word version here.

I. Action

A. Citizen Participation in Government

Promote and encourage participation by all citizens in the electoral process, particularly those demographic groups that historically have lower percentages registered and voting.
Achieve campaign finance reform.
Promote & provide opportunities for citizens to be better informed on public issues and candidate positions.
Rebuild civic participation by strengthening the process including poll workers and changes in precincts.
Promote and encourage diversity in representation.
Improve the voting process ensuring that the voting process is fair, secure, accessible, recountable, and accurate.

Citizen participation resources
B. Financing Public Schools The members of LWVCA believe that fiscal constraints imposed by the 2006 Property Tax Valuation Reform Act of 2006 jeopardize the ability of SC school districts to provide every child, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability or economic status, with opportunity for an excellent education.
The LWVCA supports amendments to Property Tax Valuation Reform Act of 2006:

To expand the reasons why voters in local school districts may override the millage cap to meet unexpected expenses and provide opportunities that its residents want for their children, and
To allow school districts and local governments to seek alternative methods of raising and distributing revenue.

The LWVCA supports action by S.C. General Assembly to:

Assure timely flow of state funds to school districts so as to minimize their need to borrow money.
Fully fund all State-mandated expenses, in particular teacher pay raises.
Conduct a comprehensive review of State education fiscal policy & redesign a funding system in which allocation formulas are aligned with actual costs of educating children to high standards.

Action on behalf of this position will include:

Advocate for amendments to the Property Tax Valuation Reform Act.
Join with state & local advocacy groups.
Create public awareness through forums, position papers.
Monitor implementation of Property Tax Valuation Reform Act & its impact on the CCSD.

Public School Finance Resources
C. Green Schools

Promote to school boards and elected officials the benefits of green schools in our community, such as reduced energy costs, increased public health, positive environmental impacts and cost savings.
Collaborate with local, state or national groups to promote the benefits of green schools in our community.
Encourage local school districts, for existing buildings, to:

1) Set sustainable performance standards including, but not limited to, energy efficiency, waste reduction, indoor air quality;
2) Document and report on the performance of each school regarding these standards;
3) Take reasonable action to improve performance as measured by the adopted standards.

Encourage local school districts, for new construction and major renovation projects, to:
1) Adopt sustainable building design, construction and performance standards including, but not limited to, positive environmental impact, public health, energy efficiency, waste reduction, indoor air quality, cost savings; and
2) Construct and substantially renovate buildings according to the adopted standards.

Be sure to read the LWVCA's Green School Study Background and Findings and look at Other green buildings resources
D. Public Transportation
Advocate citizen oversight and actively support plans to review and expand regional public
transportation services emphasizing:

An equitable and dedicated source of funding for regional public transportation services
An improved area transportation system that addresses the specific needs of residents of Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties, particularly in relation to job access programs
Provisions for alternative methods of regional transportation
Provisions for land-use planning in relation to bus and light rail corridors, as well as future transportation hubs
Provisions for an efficient, environmentally sound, and fully coordinated system
Citizen participation/input in distribution of funds
Fiscally responsible management

Public transportation resources
E. Regional Planning

Promote regional planning mechanisms that reconcile economic and environmental issues and concerns in ways that can benefit all.
Manage growth so as to protect the Lowcountry ecosystems, including wetlands and water quality.
Promote the production and preservation of affordably-priced housing.

Regional planning resources
F. Public Health

Promote access to health information and care.
Provide access to medically accurate, age appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education.
Advocate for local ordinances or state legislation to promote smoke-free environments in workplaces and other public places including restaurants and bars.

Public health resources
G. Criminal Justice

Advocate for prisoner rehabilitation programs in South Carolina prisons and jails.

Advocate for the following policy positions on illegal drugs:

Illegal drug use should be considered a public health issue, and drug addiction should be addressed by substance abuse treatment programs instead of incarceration. The following preventive measures should be supported:
Educational programs aimed at keeping children from using drugs;
Public education programs about tobacco's role as a gateway drug to illegal drug use;
Mandatory substance abuse education in all SC schools, public and private;
Educational programs about illegal drugs directed to adults;
Sterile needle and syringe programs for illegal drug users to prevent blood-borne diseases.

Official drug laws and policies should include:

Drug treatment programs as an alternative to incarceration;
Legal possession of medical marijuana, when prescribed by a physician;
Reliable and equitable state funding for all county drug courts.
Drug-addicted pregnant women should be given priority placement in drug abuse treatment programs. The LWVCA does not support criminal charges for the mother in cases where the newborn tests positive for drugs.
Adults who possess marijuana for personal use should at most be charged with a civil offense (which may include a fine), rather than a criminal offense (which may result in incarceration).
Adults who sell marijuana to other adults for personal use should at most be charged with a civil offense (which may include a fine), rather than a criminal offense (which may result in incarceration).
Adults who possess illegal drugs for personal use, other than marijuana, should at most be charged with a civil offense (which may include a fine), rather than a criminal offense (which may result in incarceration).
Programs for substance abuse treatment should be funded by all levels of the government, the private sector, and the drug user, with a sliding scale based on ability to pay.
Public fund savings resulting from the use of alternatives to incarceration should be used to support substance abuse treatment programs.

Action during the coming year could include:

Create League and public awareness by holding programs on prison rehabilitation and recidivism, drug policy issues, or how the courts dispense justice;
Cooperate with other community organizations in support of our criminal justice goals and concerns;
Educate and advocate with the South Carolina General Assembly for fully-funded rehabilitation and re-entry programs in South Carolina;
Support sentencing reform in South Carolina.

Also, please read the LWVCA's Drug Study Background and Report and for more information Criminal justice resources

IV. Other Positions

The League of Women Voters of the Charleston Area supports:

Continued equalization programs for assessment of property in Charleston County
Consolidation of city/county government services
The Council-Administrator system of government in Charleston County
Comprehensive county library systems
Implementation of home rule
Solid waste management/recycling programs and education on benefits of source reduction; coordination with other local organizations
Programs for children at risk, with emphasis on early intervention regarding teen-age pregnancy, violence, and youth programs and facilities at tax-supported and other licensed sites
A consolidated Charleston County School District in which:
Every child has the opportunity for an excellent education.
The role of the District Board of Trustees is to set policy and standards for achievement in the District.
The Superintendent of Schools implements policy established by the Board of Trustees and is accountable to the Trustees to meet the established standards.

State Positions

The League of Women Voters of South Carolina (LWVSC) adopts its program at its convention held in odd-numbered years. The entire current program of LWVSC can be found here.
For more specific discussion of certain positions, please see:

Criminal justice

4K and child care

School vouchers/tuition tax credits

Public school funding

Voting technology

National Positions

The League of Women Voters of the United States (LWVUS) adopts program at its convention held in even-numbered years. The entire current program of LWVUS can be found here.
For more specific discussion of these positions, please see:

Campaign finance reform

Civil liberties

DC voting rights

Election administration

Ethics and lobbying reform

Global climate change

Health care reform

Tax policy

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 23, 2010 17:20 PDT.