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<a href="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Straight-Talk-nikki_haley.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1285" title="Straight Talk-nikki_haley" src="http://www.beaufortislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Straight-Talk-nikki_haley-242x300.jpg" alt="" width="242" height="300" /></a>This week, thirty-six members of the South Carolina House and Senate took a brave stand by supporting my request that the General Assembly return to Columbia and complete their work on government restructuring.

I would especially like to thank Reps. Shannon Erickson, Andy Patrick and Bill Herbkersman for demonstrating to our citizens and our Supreme Court that a significant number of legislators are committed to real reform.<!--more-->

Key to bringing true accountability and transparency to our state government is the passage of the Department of Administration bill. Restructuring our state’s critical support functions will modernize the functions of state government, enabling us to meet the new challenges of the 21st century.

We must have a state government that’s run like a business. If we are to prevail against states and nations as we strive to attract jobs and talented professionals to South Carolina, then we need a government that is more agile, more accountable, and more responsive than the one we have today.

I will continue to insist the General Assembly pass the Department of Administration bill before they leave Columbia again.  South Carolinians deserve better government, and they shouldn’t have to wait another year for it.

Working together, we can make good government happen!

<em>Nikki Haley is the governor of South Carolina.</em>

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