Haley Asks Senate to Cut More Taxes

Mimi May 15, 2012 at 11:08 pm

How about reducing state tax, gas tax, property tax. How about reducing the taxes everyday people have to pay groceries. It isn't about reducing the cost of doing business in South Carolina it is about increasing the income for people to spend. I find it amazing after all the federal tax relief for those so called small businesses and local tax incentive you still have Nimrata asking, demanding more corporate welfare at the expense of our schools, infrustructure, public services. I find it amazing that people actually fall for this same old line of distortion the Republicans have been spewing for decades. Every dime to increase profits of investors is passed off on to the consumer who makes sure that the consumer can continue to consume????

reg May 16, 2012 at 12:28 am

What about our schools? Teachers haven't had a raise in four years. About 4,000 state employees - specifically teachers, police and firefighters - have lost their jobs in the last three years due to underfunding. We have dismal state roads that haven't had service in decades. We have one port that needs improvement to stay on pace with its competitors, and another port that needs improvement just to stay in business. But suddenly we somehow can afford to lower an already very very low business tax (5% - one of the lowest in the country)?

Joe May 16, 2012 at 01:23 am

why do you think every major business in the country is moving here and being successful? What is wrong with you? What about schools, do you know that there is a free lunch summer program regardless of income, no questions asked? CUT THAT FIRST!

Shawn Drury (Editor) May 16, 2012 at 02:22 am

Joe, Can you give some more details on this no questions asked free summer lunch program? Where is it located?

ReadIt May 16, 2012 at 02:43 am

I'm more than happy to pay taxes. Just spend the money the right way. I'd rather better the world around me than focus money on myself. I don't need cash when I die. Keep the money SC - just spend it in the classroom and in the community.
ps. Reg - the budget this year includes a pay raise for teachers and an increase in the amount of $$ per student in the classroom -- but I'm all for giving them more than the budgeted increase too.

stanley seigler May 16, 2012 at 04:21 am

Re: “The budget plan already includes a bill that decreases taxes for business owners and is expected to reduce revenue by $15 million over the next four years, according to an Associated Press report...But Haley is demanding that the Senate pass a second bill that would go into effect in 2013 and save taxpayers about $78 million, according to the report”
And these tax cuts are paid for how...with cuts to education maybe... Is there a spread sheet showing budget revenue and expenses...is there an economic evaluation of the cuts...say their effect on education. These cuts are just red meat pandering to the T-GOPs...investments vs. inefficient spending should be evaluated. perhaps Joe knows cutting the free summer lunch will cover the $78 and $15 million in tax cuts...oh/and; i forgot about trickle down theory...the cuts will trickle down to investments in education...eg, teacher's salaries...

stanley seigler May 16, 2012 at 04:56 am

@Joe: "do you know that there is a free lunch summer program regardless of income, no questions asked? CUT THAT FIRST!"
FYI The Summer Food Service Program is designed to fill that nutrition gap and make sure children can get the nutritious meals they need. ..How are the services provided? Sponsors feed children at meal service sites...A sponsor may provide its own meals, purchase meals through an agreement with an area school, or contract for meals with a food vendor. so lets cut nutrition to po kids even tho in not funded by SC tax dollars...that should help cover the $78 plus tax cut... BTW this is a prime example of how many T-GOPs base their decisions re spending.

Barbara McGowin May 16, 2012 at 12:51 pm

Ever wonder why so many big corporations have built manufacturing plants, opened offices and facilities in to South Carolina and yet our public schools do not have soap, toilet paper or paper towels and teachers aren't paid the salaries promised them? The numbers don't add up. You can go here http://reut.rs/Hz9WFb and find that in 1995 SC allowed corporations to withhold $70.3 million in state income taxes from the paychecks of their workers. The corporations did give this money to the state. This income tax was kept by the corporations and given to their investors who do not live or spend their wealth in South Carolina. 1995 was the last year SC reported how much money was lost from the state coffers to this corporate welfare program. How much do you believe is being stolen from South Carolinians today? Hundreds of milliions? Billions? The SC Department of Commerce tells me they can't tell me because of tax payer privacy and suggested I contact the state revenue department. I have asked the State House and Senate how much was cut out of our state budget because of these corporate tax incentives. I have received no answer. I encourage you to ask questions. This corporate welfare is literally stealing the future of our state. With a high unemployment rate, many newly poor and unfunded mandates in education and public health, I say first end corporate welfare, restore our education system and then think about a tax break.

Barbara McGowin May 16, 2012 at 01:01 pm

I left out the word "not." The corporations did NOT give this money to the state. I have been told that this money was used to train workers. Why should tax payers pay for a profitable business' to train their employees to use the companies equipment (most of which was paid for by SC tax payers). Business owners that I know do not have the state paying for their on-the-job training. That is a normal cost of doing business. As Senator I will end this corporate welfare. Please contact me at mcgowin4senate@hotmail.com if you would like to help me with my petition candidacy. Thank you!

Tricia Hitopoulos May 16, 2012 at 04:44 pm

Typical groceries and provisions are practically untaxed. If small local businesses are charging customers a high retail and hospitality tax (10.5%) it makes them look expensive. it's more fair that those non-local, larger sales volume chains should be charged that. It's a heavy strain on the small locals and makes it more difficult to stay in business.

stanley seigler May 16, 2012 at 06:12 pm

@Barbara McGowin: "...I have received no answer..."
probably because they dont know...unbelievable but true...eg, the boeing deal: http://www.postandcourier.com/article/20100117/PC1602/301179958 [CLIP] Months after celebrating the groundbreaking for a massive jet assembly facility in North Charleston, state officials credited with luring Boeing to the Lowcountry say they still don't know what all the incentives offered to the aircraft giant are worth [CLIP] But of the 163 state and county officials who voted on the deal, it was difficult to find a single person who claims to know what the incentives were actually worth. [CLIP] The Post and Courier's analysis, which relied on conservative figures, put the incentives-package value at more than $900 million, and it could easily be worth more... [CLIP] The bulk of the incentive package comes in the form of property tax breaks in Charleston County worth at least $306 million over the next 30 years, and up-front money to be given to the company through state bonds at a cost of roughly $399 million.

Barbara McGowin May 16, 2012 at 08:01 pm

It is painful to realize how disrespectful our present State House and Senate are of the people's money. This total lack of accountability would be criminal in the private sector. Time for new leadership. I need help with my petition candidacy for Senate District 44. Contact me at mcgowin4senate@hotmail.com

reg May 16, 2012 at 11:19 pm

And to include organized labor on the topic of trained employees: labor unions train employees at their own expense, and regularly, too. That's why workers in labor unions have work injuries at one-third the rate of non-union workers - they are better trained, and their work safety shows it. (that work safety greatly reduces workers compensation costs on taxpayers, too)

Mimi June 16, 2012 at 07:09 am

Well here we go more corporate welfare for the Republicans to dish out at everyone else's expense.

John H June 17, 2012 at 03:22 am

I have asked my Congressmen, Nathan Ballentine and John Courson for the information and their staff replied very promptly.
This is what was sent; At the state level, the following discretionary incentives were approved to support Boeing’s expansion in North Charleston: 1. $5 million Set Aside grant to Charleston County for site work 2. $220 million in general obligation economic development bonds for eligible infrastructure 3. $50 million in air carrier hub facilities bonds for eligible expenditures related to such facilities Boeing is also eligible for statutory tax credits and sales tax exemptions. Whether Boeing is claiming certain tax credits and/or exemptions and the value of incentives claimed is not information available to the Department of Commerce. In some cases, that information is confidential taxpayer information protected from disclosure pursuant to S.C. Code Section 12-54-240. Additionally, pursuant to state law, Berkeley County Co-Op made a grant in the amount of $100,000 as a credit against the Co-op’s utility license fee liability to offset the costs of eligible infrastructure to support Boeing’s expansion. Apparently, the exact amount that the South Carolina general fund is short to date as a result of the incentives is not known. It sure pays to be a big player. I didn’t get that deal but I only employed three. Sigh.

Barbara McGowin June 21, 2012 at 04:16 pm

Many of the jobs created recently are filled by skilled workers and management relocated to South Carolina by corporations that withhold SC income tax from their workers' paychecks and keep it as a corporate tax incentive to create jobs. I call this corporate welfare and estimate in to be in the $$billions. These relocated workers bring their families. These families have children who attend public schools. The schools do not enjoy any tax benefit from the workers' income to support public education. Berkeley County has been hit hard with a big jump in relocated workers whose state income tax never finds its way into the State's coffers. Berkeley County must build schools to support its growing student population. An education bond, I believe in the amount of $233 million, will be on the ballot this November. How will this bond be paid? Through increased property taxes. Once again, middle class and working poor will have to pay more taxes to support corporate welfare. Dorchester Cty will face this problem in 2013. Notice all the factories being built on the new commerce highway in Summerville? Once building is complete an influx of relocated workers for corp. that withhold SC income tax from their workers' paychecks and keep it will occur. These workers' families will have children that will need schools built to support the growing number of students. I hope Dorchester Cty is watching & learning from Berkeley Cty. Corporate welfare is out of control!