Author: Staff

Greenville County, South Carolina — Plaintiffs in the Greenville County budget litigation, including Senator Dwight Loftis (R-South Carolina Senate District 6, Greenville County) Representative James Mikell “Mike” Burns (R-South Carolina House District 17), Representative Patrick Haddon, (R-South Carolina House District 19, Former Representative Adam M. Morgan (R-South Carolina House District 20), Representative T. Alan Morgan (R-House District 18), Former Representative Ashley B. Trantham (R-House District 28), the South Carolina Public Interest Foundation, citizen Michelle Shuman (Greenville), and other public officials and citizens, have reached a settlement resolving their legal challenge to the County’s budget practices.  Senator Loftis and Representative Burns had previously successfully challenged Greenville County’s Road Maintenance and Telecommunications Fee in Burns v. Greenville Cnty. Council, 433 S.C. 583, 861 S.E.2d 31 (S.C. 2021) where the South Carolina Supreme Court reversed the lower court and held that two Greenville County “fees” were actually unlawful taxes, and therefore invalid under state law wherein the Court stated “State law prohibits local government from imposing taxes unless they are value-based property taxes or are specifically...

If you’ve been remotely abreast of the news in our state, then you've most likely heard the word “redistricting” being thrown around in Columbia. While the State House and Senate have reached Sine Die, essentially have held their last session, they may still come together to discuss whatever topics they approved for themselves beyond Sine Die. One of these topics is redistricting. Why are we discussing redistricting now?  Redistricting now is in vogue across the country because of the landmark SCOTUS decision, Louisiana v. Callais. (A summary can be found here: https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/aftermath-callais)1 Previous to Callais, districts were required to adhere to principles guided by the Voting Rights Act, essentially creating districts that in practice reflected where ethnic minorities lived and voted.  Redistricting guidelines for partisan gerrymandering and incumbent protection in the American South, where districts were drawn to support minority populations, are now gone. Redistricting Rules Redistricting must now consider these rules exclusively2:  Districts must have contiguous borders, meaning lines must be unbroken (districts connected...

In May 2024, the York County BZA voted unanimously against solar cell manufacturing as not an approved use in a light industrial zone. In Jan 21, 2026, Bivins v. York County suit was dismissed and ruled the adjacent landowner, Bivins, has no standing although law clearly states legal standing should Bivins claim he “may” be damaged. The residents of Fort Mill, SC have been engaged in a costly battle against every level of our state's judicial system. The legal maneuvering from the county, circuit and supreme courts over the past 2 1/2 years is staggering. In the fall of last year, SC Attorney General issued a statement that York County had authority to revoke the construction permitting. Regardless how the public fought using the zoning rules as their basis, the judges and courts at every turn allowed time to pass and the factory to open. In Feb 13, 2026, a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for Building A is issued. On March 2, 2026, within...

SC Public Interest Foundation Chairman, Mr. Vince Graham,  reminds us of the importance of our state’s struggle to stop tyranny in sharing the following comment and historical writing.  “The spirit of constitutional seriousness and long-term responsibility lies at the heart of the SC Public Interest Foundation’s work”   In early March 1776, acting through the revolutionary government of South Carolina’s Provincial Congress and Council of Safety, orders were issued directing Colonel William Moultrie to proceed immediately to Sullivan’s Island and begin construction of Fort Sullivan. Later that month, upon adoption of the Constitution on March 26, 1776, John Rutledge was elected President of a newly founded republic. South Carolina’s Constitution was among the earliest written in the modern world. It established a functioning government exactly 100 days before July 4th. Speed was paramount; permanence was secondary. With the British navy – then the most powerful in the world – bearing down upon them, South Carolinians did not await authorization from the Continental Congress assembled...

Written by Timothy J. Hegarty, A Concerned Citizen of York County: As the title indicates, a new feature now adorns the northeast corner of the Silfab Manufacturing Facility just above their logo. This simple feature is a red conical tube designed to indicate wind direction and relative speed and is commonly referred to as a windsock. This windsock made its debut appearance on or about April 1, 2026. You are probably familiar with them having seen them at airports and heliports to assist pilots with landings and take-offs. But there are no landings or take-offs occurring at the Silfab facility so why do they now have a windsock? A less familiar, but equally vital, use for a windsock is in an industrial safety role. Industrial windsocks are critical, regulation compliant (OHS/HSE Occupational Health and Safety and Health, Safety and Environment) safety tools used at chemical plants, refineries and industrial manufacturing sites to immediately identify wind direction and speed during hazardous gas releases and...

Written by Timothy J. Hegarty, A Concerned Citizen of York County: By now, it is abundantly clear that SCDES, also known as the SC Department of Environmental Services, would be more appropriately named if referred to as the SC Department of Economic Services as you will come to realize reading this article. Admittedly, the article is a little long but it clearly spells out why the Silfab issue in Fort Mill clearly underscores the impact to citizens when the top environmental regulatory agency in the state restructures to support economic competitiveness over its core environmental responsibilities. The recently issued Compliance Agreement between SCDES and Silfab Solar is an excellent example. The document is dated March 16, 2026, and is intended to allow Silfab to potentially return to the manufacture and production of solar cells and modules following a verified discharge of Potassium Hydroxide and what is described as a drip of Hydrofluoric Acid.  These are the issues I have noted as significantly concerning in this document: Page...

Chemical Spills Bring Crisis to the Community’s Doorstep One must question whether the Attorney General’s immediate inquiry and the release of the date for Silfab’s BZA appeal take on added urgency in light of the events that unfolded at the Silfab facility in the first week of March 2026. On March 3, 2026, a spill of potassium hydroxide prompted a HAZMAT response and drew immediate scrutiny from state regulators. Two days later, a second spill, this time involving hydrofluoric acid, a highly corrosive substance, caused Flint Hill Elementary School, located less than 1,000 feet from the plant, to close and bus students to another facility. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) responded by ordering Silfab to immediately cease all operations pending a joint investigation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Operations partially resumed on March 9 after SCDES and EPA completed their on-site assessment, though Silfab was required to enter a Compliance Agreement and may not restart chemical manufacturing processes until...