LAWMAKERS FLEE FROM GOVERNOR’S “ROADS PLAN”
|| By FITSNEWS || South Carolina governor Nikki Haley is having a hard time lining up legislative support for her massive tax swap proposal – which would trade a rapid ramp-up in the gasoline tax with a more gradual decrease in individual income taxes.
Sources tell FITS Haley is introducing the proposal piecemeal … but that she’s have trouble getting lawmakers to put their names on the different pieces of the puzzle. Three of the governor’s staunchest allies in the S.C. House of Representatives – Nathan Ballentine, Ralph Norman and Tommy Stringer – reportedly refused to bite on the bill, while another (Todd Atwater) would only file one part of the legislation.
“They can’t get no satisfaction,” one lawmaker told FITS.
Haley has been making a full-court press in support of her plan – which she claims would represent a $5.5 billion tax cut over the coming decade.
The problem? Liberals (including lots of establishment “Republicans”) don’t like the notion of less money flowing into government coffers, while conservatives don’t trust Haley’s estimates. Meanwhile both sides agree Haley’s plan fails to specify long-overdue reforms to the S.C. Department of Transportation – which is on its second director since Haley took office.
By far the most substantive rebuke of Haley’s plan came courtesy of the S.C. Policy Council – a libertarian leaning think tank that bashes both Democratic and “Republican” politicians.
According to a fact sheet disseminated by the group, Haley’s plan is “a shell game that would do little to improve South Carolina’s roads” – a proposal “based on contrived assumptions, impossible predictions, and misleading promises.”
Ouch …
“Tax swaps aren’t tax reform,” the S.C. Policy Council concluded. “The governor would like to paint her plan as a tax cut for all South Carolinians. It isn’t. The poorest citizens, who effectively pay no income tax due to state refunds and the federal earned income tax credit, would feel the burden of the gas tax increase but will have no offsets elsewhere. Genuine tax reform is not based on swaps, but broad-based cuts that allow all citizens to keep more of what they earned. Any tax plan that approaches cuts with a focus on their revenue impact is coming from the wrong place.”
The S.C. Policy Council also criticizes Haley for shifting funding from long-overdue maintenance and paving to unnecessary new projects – like this. It also mocks her “reform” plan as being ”
One-time Haley ally Katrina Shealy – a champion of broad-based tax relief – has also criticized the governor’s plan.
“I was hoping we would go for real tax relief,” she said.
We were too …
Anyway, we’re told Haley will eventually find sponsors for her bill … but its failure to attract strong support at the outset (even from some of her staunchest allies in the S.C. House) is a terrible sign for its long-term prospects.
Frankly, that’s fine with us …
South Carolina’s roads and bridges do need to be fixed … but we don’t have to raise the gas tax to do it.
22 comments
I wonder if she got that jacket at Exotica or at the Clemson Book Store?
Exotica, and rumor has it that matching bra and panties are also available by special request. Guaranteed waterproof and wind resistant.
AND, she’s got that hip, backward safety hat look going on. Keeps the neck from getting sunburned on the subcontinent I guess
Nah, she’s got it on right it’s just that her head is so pointy she’s had to rack the suspension system all the way in. I do dig her serious sun glass look but since everyone else in the picture is standing around “smoking and joking” with no safety gear one wonders why the photographer didn’t stage this one a little better…
Look at her hands. “You have to be this big to ride.”
Why isn’t that deputy wearing his head gear?
No one is wearing headgear besides Nikki. She’s obviously playing dress up. “Look at me! I’m a construction worker! I get you blue collar guys even though I’ll rot in hell before I let you earn a decent wage.”
Haley clearly hasn’t’ sucked enough cock under the Dome.
They are all too busk with their own Koch’s
Damn! I think her nose grew 4 inches since this pic was taken…
Nope – the tip has slowly been drooping down over the past few years and gives the appearance of growth
This condition is common for male and female Fucking Cockroaches as their noses spend an inordinate amount of time shoved up other Fucking Cockroaches’ ass cracks and all that moisture accelerates nose droop
Also for Female Fucking Cockroaches the condition is amplified due to the fact that there is a direct correlation between nose drooping and damn, your ass is getting bigger
“moisture accelerates nose droop”
Just like her cousin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQJ8WrKnLUs
Little early to use phrases like Dead Duck Governor or Lame Duck Governor
However it does sound like Winged Duck Governor may be appropriate
When Trikki has to sell anything to anyone other than to moronic SCGOP voters, she has problems.
This makes no sense?!? The club for growth supports it. According to her ‘ICYMI’ releases, nearly every man, woman, and child, support it. Clearly, your sources have bad information.
Then again, usually, good ideas don’t need to be pressured, I mean, sold, to the public. So maybe all of those ‘ICYMI’ releases and quick endorsements were lined up for a reason….
The C for G is for the growth of two things: business and corporations. Not for the growth of the middle class. Not for job growth, not for growth in quality of life. Not for moving the country forward. And the for the SC Taxpayers Assoc. That is more about helping a certain guy sell and rent more houses–the guy that sold the house behind us to crack dealers BTW.
No wonder! She is a liar, just like Obama!
Ohaley+Obama= O CRAP!!!
I warned you!!
Where are all of Nikki’s cabinet members? Hitt? Her latest rock star Rick Reames? Shouldn’t the heads of commerce and DOR be leading this charge or have they abandoned her too? Nothing but silence ….
I’m surprised that conservatives would denounce regressive taxation, but good on ’em for doing so.
Trust NIMRATA, she’s an accuntant!
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is what happens when an incompetent person is elected and surrounds herself with even more useless type “D” people. Stupidity becomes exponential.
It should be a hard sell. Gas prices have gone back up anywhere from 15 to 20 cents at the pump. Just what I need another tax swap like the one for schools. Richland Lexington 5 must not have gotten the message.