Anna B. Mitchell

(she/her) Reporter for The Post and Courier; opinions my own, stories here:

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

How private groups — EMOs — became the unintended ‘third arm’ of SC’s public charter school system. No-bid contracts, locked-in related entities and less $$ for classrooms … with @IanGrenier1 @PCColumbia, @PCGreenville, @postandcourier
https://t.co/c8yaHd8AEW

[Nick Reynolds @IAmNickReynolds]

A real stunner from @chloesbarlow on A1 today. https://t.co/YymAlujU18

[Post and Courier Greenville @PCGreenville]

Spartanburg County credits FILOTs with securing billions in investment and thousands of jobs. Some are skeptical of the property tax breaks used to lure businesses to the area. https://t.co/rvdcf6cHpi

[Rep. Neal Collins @collins_neal]

Some states have the benefit of oil & gas revenue (TX, NM, ND, CO, AK, OK, WY, CA).

Some states have the benefit of tourism revenue (FL).

Some states have far more population (CA, TX, FL, NY).

Some states have more hwealth.

Some states sacrifice one tax for another (TN = no income tax, but 2nd highest sales tax & 19th in corporate income tax per capita).

South Carolina is at a disadvantage in all of the above. However, people want to move & live here. One of the main reasons is our low, stable tax system.

According to the latest "Facts & Figures" by the Tax Foundation, SC 48th out of 51 in state & local tax collections per capita as of 2023:

- 47th in property taxes paid as percentage of owner-occupied housing value
- 37th in state & local individual income tax per capita
- 33rd in state & local corporate income tax per capita
- 19th in state & local sales tax but 42nd in collections per capita
- 31st in gas tax

As we have grown over the past 5 years, the SC General Assembly has cut $3.7 BILLION in income taxes rather than spend $3.7 billion. Governmental budgeting is a balance. We obviously have statewide needs, but individual families, especially working families, do as well. I've been proud of this mature, methodical cutting of the income tax to 5.21%.

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

Some daycare directors are skipping paychecks, and one center plans a Krispy Kreme sale to cover the light bill.

Child care is unaffordable to thousands across SC as federally supplemented vouchers run out.
https://t.co/tBK94QngVZ

[Nick Reynolds @IAmNickReynolds]

A 1950s-era KKK pamphlet was removed from an exhibit at SC's state museum in efforts to present what officials called “a clearer and more historically accurate” portrait of South Carolina during the Civil Rights era.

From me:

https://t.co/LIxEA4UYjl

[Ronan Farrow @RonanFarrow]

Private schools, even ones subsidized by your tax dollars, don't have to take every child. In Texas, of 257 voucher schools surveyed by the Texas Observer, fewer than a dozen said they offer special education.
Children the system won't take land back in public schools. And those schools—which do have to take every child—are in crisis, from low reading and math scores to widespread chronic absenteeism.

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

@ellenfored tells Upstate Republicans there will be a statewide policy on AI by fall 2027. She has an ed tech committee developing it now (and they are looking closely at what @gcschools is doing). @PCGreenville @EducationSC

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

It’s Year 3 of SC’s growing school voucher program. Data on student learning still is not available. https://t.co/E6LjBC59aL

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

😞

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

Another setback for this charter school in Rock Hill. Months after an internal dispute over $$ and governance almost shut down Ascent Classical, the school's former headmaster was arrested for embezzlement. The crime involved a school-issued credit card. https://t.co/iDByh570gP

[Ian Grenier @IanGrenier1]

It’s pretty much all camera here at the Darline Graham setup in Columbia

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

😵‍💫😩

[Nick Reynolds @IAmNickReynolds]

The current fiscal year ends today and -- surprise! -- we still don't have a budget.

In one hour, a bicameral negotiating team will meet at the statehouse complex to give us an update on where things stand. But we will likely be operating under a CR starting tomorrow.

[Hy Bender @hybender]

Coolest use of a drone

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

@IanGrenier1 😂

[The State News @thesnews]

Trustee Rema Vassar sent a 23 page pre-litigation demand to MSU officials hours after the board's special meeting on May 17, claiming discrimination by the university and fellow trustees who have repeatedly violated MSU board policy to attack her because she is a Black woman. https://t.co/bJ6LFNsAgC

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

👀

[David Harns @DavidHarns]

On May 17, MSU Trustee Rema Vassar sent Kevin Guskiewicz a pre-litigation demand letter threatening to sue MSU for an amount greater than $25 million. The letter, in full, is included in this thread. For context, the families of the 2/13 shooting victims received $5M each. (1/6)

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

👀

[The Post and Courier @postandcourier]

The College of Charleston will be paying to house an estimated 125 upperclassmen in area hotels as the largest incoming class in school history forces them out of on-campus housing. https://t.co/yBmVMsEmQn

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

The council has 7 seats, so big change for Anderson. Wilson and Dunn made their mark early by opposing then administrator Joey Preston, who was granted a $1M payout by the 2008 lame duck council before new members took office — prompting a challenge that went to the SC SUPCO.

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

Deep disruption in Anderson, SC, politics tonight. Cindy Wilson has served since 2000 and Chairman Tommy Dunn since 2008. Both are Republicans. A third GOP member didn’t run for reelection. At least 3 new members coming to council in January.

[Anna B. Mitchell @EdReporterSC]

👀 A huge Confederate flag flew over I-85 in Spartanburg for years. Here’s the group that put it there. @PCGreenville @postandcourier

https://t.co/XE08P2Fg42