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by WILL FOLKS
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A decade-and-a-half ago in South Carolina, a Democrat lawmaker proposed eliminating the Palmetto State’s gas tax – arguing it was a regressive levy.
“Republicans” didn’t follow Bakari Sellers‘ advice, unfortunately. Instead, they jacked the gas tax by 71% between 2017 and 2022 – raising this levy from 16.75 cents per gallon to 28.75 cents per gallon over that time period. This massive increase was purportedly “opposed” by governor Henry McMaster – but the truth behind that two-step has been exposed repeatedly by this media outlet.
McMaster could have helped lawmakers who were working to sustain his veto… but instead he threw them under the bus.
Supporters of the gas tax hike vowed it would “fix our roads,” but the Palmetto State has struggled to make progress on long-overdue infrastructure enhancements.
Meanwhile, South Carolinians continue to pay a much larger percentage of their incomes on fuel than citizens of other states – due mostly to the fact that income levels in the Palmetto State lag so far behind the national average.
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Last week, Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed into law HB 1199, legislation which conformed the Peach State’s tax code with federal law. The bill also provided for a two-month suspension of the state motor fuel tax (33.3 cents per gallon of regular unleaded and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel). The suspension of the tax is expected to save Georgia motorists $400 million over the next sixty days.
“Because we budget conservatively, we can take steps like these that actually deliver on affordability issues for families in our state,” Kemp said.
South Carolina, where Republicans do not budget conservatively, is apparently unable to take such steps – but that’s not stopping another Democrat from trying to follow Georgia’s lead.
S.C. senator Russell Ott of St. Matthews announced he was filing a bill this week to suspend the Palmetto State’s gas tax for thirty days – with an “automatic extension” of thirty additional days if prices do not drop by 15% during the initial month of relief.
“We need to do what we can, when we can,” Ott noted in filing his bill.
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Per the latest data from AAA, the current price for a regular gallon of unleaded is $3.652 – up a staggering $1.042 (39.9%) over the past thirty days. Diesel fuel prices have also soared, climbing from $3.431 to $5.252 over the past month – a staggering 53.1% increase.
According to The Wall Street Journal, that is the steepest diesel price hike in the nation.
Ott said his bill would include diesel fuel, and would backfill S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) funding with money from reserve accounts (i.e. the state’s capital reserve fund or contingency fund).
“That’s what contingency funds can and should be used for…when unforeseen situations arise that need to be addressed,” Ott said.
Not long after Ott signaled his intentions, Republican lawmaker Mark Smith – who is campaigning for the U.S. congress – announced he was also filing legislation “later this week” to suspend the gas tax for thirty days.
“South Carolina families are getting squeezed from every direction – groceries, utilities, and now gas prices jumping nearly a dollar in just a matter of weeks,” Smith wrote on X. “Government shouldn’t sit on the sidelines while people are struggling. We have an opportunity to act – and we should.”
Will lawmakers move such legislation? Doubtful…
As we often note, South Carolina politicians always have money to blow on broken bureaucracies, corporate handouts, unnecessary line items and woke indoctrination (oh, and raises for themselves).
When it comes to giving any of that money back? That’s another story…
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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