By FITSNews || S.C. Senator Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) – who led the fight to kill a controversial $134 million incentives package for a politically-connected real estate developer earlier this year – has drawn a fresh bead on an even bigger “big government giveaway,” S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell’s “Kremlinator.”
Davis and several other State Senators placed a hold Thursday on the controversial “command economic” legislation – which would codify and dramatically expand government’s ability to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. The bill would also enhance the “economic development” role of the state’s research universities, which have failed spectacularly up to this point in their amateur hour efforts to bring jobs and capital investment to South Carolina.
Prior to Davis placing his hold on the legislation, S.C. Sen. Hugh Leatherman’s finance committee removed the one redeeming feature of the legislation – a $16 million corporate income tax cut which amounts to less than a tenth of a percent of the state’s $21.1 billion budget.
Now the “Kremlinator,” which overwhelmingly passed the S.C. House of Representatives last month on the strength of this minuscule tax cut, is nothing but a big government power grab that will extend government’s infringement upon this state’s real economic development engine, the private sector.
Davis’ hold guarantees that the legislation will not be taken up unless lawmakers set it for “special order” – which would require a two-thirds majority of the Senate.
Good for Davis … this bill is government-run economic development on steroids and the S.C. House should be embarrassed that it approved it, even with a paltry tax cut attached as a sweetener.
Lawmakers should vote on the $16 million tax cut as a stand-alone bill, while sending the “Kremlinator” to the ash heap of history along with the rest of socialism.
UPDATE: We’re hearing that Davis’ hold caused quite a stir in the State House lobby Thursday, which was literally packed from wall-to-wall with taxpayer-funded lobbyists and other special interests who have a vested interest in this boondoggle’s passage.
UPDATE II: Several State Representatives who voted for the “Kremlinator” originally are now telling FITS that they cannot support the Senate version of the legislation.
UPDATE III: Oh yeah … looks like our crystal ball is still working …
By Columbia Insider April 15, 2010 at 1:03 pm
With all the power brokers he’s pissing off, Davis is likely to end up in a Lexington County dumpster.
By Alisons April 15, 2010 at 1:35 pm
He did a good job with Sembler, but no way Tom Davis can stop this train. The front row in the Senate wants it badly, as does Harrell.
By Nathan Earle April 15, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Good job Tom!
By WB April 15, 2010 at 2:16 pm
In re to columbia insider
Or maybe Hugh Leatherman and his cartel will…
By Ynotfirst April 15, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Davis may need to be found in a dump
By CNSYD April 15, 2010 at 2:27 pm
All Davis is doing is grandstanding just like his a**hole buddies Sanfraud and Mulvaney.
By Crooner April 15, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Would “governments ability to pick winners and losers” include the ability to give Boeing like incentives that they dole out without any idea of cost?
By Insider April 15, 2010 at 4:35 pm
There is no doubt Harrell, Leatherman, and the likes are beaing beaten like a drum. There time has come and gone and “we” see the writing on the wall. Their stewards are slowly being pushed out of office, thrown in jail, kicked off boards, and bowing out of office before publicly being smeared. There is a dumpster being filled, but it’s not the Tom Davis’ of the world!
By Jack April 15, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Thank God for Tom Davis and his willingness to stand up to our out of control Legislative “leadership”.
By CNSYD April 15, 2010 at 7:44 pm
Crooner, funny that when BMW had Campbell in their pocket and was granted all sorts of deals, it was hailed as a coup for the upstate. Now that the low country gets Boeing, upstaters want to cry foul. What goes around, comes around.
By Teapartier April 16, 2010 at 8:08 am
If he was just a grandstander, leadership wouldn’t care about Tom Davis. But he’s smart and can turn around a debate. He showed that with the retail mall bill.
By Wake-up Call April 16, 2010 at 8:55 am
CNSYD, you obviously know nothing about Tom Davis and are just running off at the mouth with nothing to back it up but your own ignorance. Tom Davis is one of the finest men I have ever known and truly cares about the citizens of this state, the taxpayers, business owners etc. He is also not afraid to speak up and fight for what he believes in. He gets out in the community and actually speaks to his people and is interested in their thoughts and ideas on political issues. He is definitely not a grand-stander but a fighter. He is not a part of the “good ole boy” system and has earned his right to be our state Senator and has proven he works for the citizens of this State and our own community. I know politics is typically corrupt but once in awhile, someone truly honerable like Tom Davis comes along that we can believe in and trust in and people have a hard time believing he is real. He is real, down to earth and fearless. Go Tom! Continue the fight-we are all counting on you and those of us that know you, know what kind of a man you are and we will be fighting for you as well……
By CNSYD April 16, 2010 at 9:43 am
Teapartner, all Davis has done is show that he is Sanfraud’s errand boy. That is “leadership”?
By Palmetto Pulse April 16, 2010 at 10:09 am
Like the Judges on American Idol say to their contestants, “we want to see who you really are”, seems like Davis is showing South Carolina who he really is and I love it! It seems like he goes back to the fundamentals of conservatism, capitalism, free enterprise, liberty. He doesn’t see issues on a favor by favor basis. His position on issues are based on a strong belief system.
The front row, and everyone else, needs to watch out for this guy. He’s committed and uber-intelligent – a dangerous combination for the system but a breath of fresh air for South Carolina.
By CNSYD April 16, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Palmetto Pulse, substitute “Sanford” for “Davis” in your statement above and that is what you more than likely said several years ago. Fool us once shame on you, fool us twice shame on us.
By Palmetto Pulse April 16, 2010 at 2:34 pm
CNSYD, I don’t deny what you imply but I really think Davis might be “our guy”. LOL!
Seriously, I think alot of Davis’ critics are simply afraid of his common sense, no-nonsense, straightforward view of government. I am a HUGE Jefferson fan and I see this politician as walking in his footsteps. Maybe he’s our hope for a prosperous South Carolina.
By CNSYD April 16, 2010 at 3:04 pm
Palmetto Pulse, don’t forget Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. All politicians have feet of clay. I am concerned about who Davis “represents”. As I understand it, his district contains a lot of retirees from Yankee land. Usually these people are well heeled and have the attitude, “I got mine and to hell with them that don’t”. Is that the basis for Davis’ positions?