I normally don’t copy and paste from other websites, but this is important. Funding for SCETV may be drastically reduced because of a veto by Gov. Sanford. Here’s a press release…
ETV Appeals to the Public to Contact Their Legislator and Help Overturn Governor Mark Sanford’s Vetoes
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2010Columbia, SC… On Friday, ETV made a statewide appeal to members of the general public to show their support for ETV in the wake of Governor Mark Sanford’s budget vetoes. The message asks South Carolinians to contact their legislators and urge them to override these vetoes. If the vetoes are sustained, it would decimate the network’s ability to fulfill its core functions.
The message reads as follows:
Emergency Alert!
Your help is needed now! Contact your legislator before the Tuesday, June 15th vote.
Governor Sanford has proposed a cut of over $5.2 million from South Carolina ETV’s $9.6 million state budget appropriation. This is a 52% percent reduction. This would have a devastating impact on ETV and the services provided to public education and to every citizen.
If the legislature does not override these vetoes it would have a crippling effect on services and programs.
* ETV provides technology training and learning opportunities to 65,000 teachers, all 86 school districts, and their students. In addition, over 6,500 K-12 teachers receive hands-on, face to face training annually. This service would be drastically impaired or eliminated.
* ETV would be forced to discontinue its public safety and local government training. More than 13,000 law enforcement personnel €“ this includes local police and sheriff departments, SLED, and corrections officers.
* ETV€™s local and national programming would be significantly impaired, and some services eliminated all-together. Television and radio programs that focus on SC issues and concerns would be in grave jeopardy.
* ETV is a valuable asset available to every South Carolina citizen, a key component in the state’s educational, cultural and economic development. Many deem ETV as a jewel of South Carolina and a good example of what is good about our state.
Your help is critical to our ability to retain core educational service for every SC citizen. It€™s imperative that these vetoes be overturned. We need your help €“ please contact your legislator today to save ETV!
Thank you!
The vetoes can only be overturned if two-thirds of both bodies of the General Assembly vote to do so. The House and the Senate are expected to take up all 107 of Sanford’s vetoes beginning at noon on Tuesday, June 15. The proceedings will be televised on ETV World.
ETV is South Carolina€™s statewide network with 11 television stations, eight radio stations and a closed-circuit educational telecommunications system in more than 2000 schools, colleges, businesses, and government agencies.
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For more information, contact Rob Schaller at (803) 737-6556 or rschaller@scetv.org.
The folks at ETV do some wonderful things, especially for our teachers. This is a worthy cause.
Not funding SCETV and radio would be a slap in the face of every citizen of South Carolina….The programs have been the envy of most US cities and we have been a leader and pioneer in educational TV and classic radio. Let’s NOT contribute to the dumbing of our citizens —— help them appreciate the arts and better thing in life. Education is not free and should not take a back seat to the waste in this state. Cut out some of the perks affored to our elected officials —- there will be plenty left for these programs and education.
To end funding for SCETV and radio would deprive rural residents of classical music, opera, broadcasts from the Spoleto Festival, selections from the Southeastern Piano Festival, and other musical pleasures, high culture not available anywhere else for free. We hunger for entertainment with substance. Excellent arguments have been made for keeping the television programs that delight and instruct in craft, art, history, science, nature, and many more. Nowhere else can we find such depth and breadth than on our nationally known SCETV and Radio. And lest we forget, only intelligently educated citizens can direct their political futures.
KG