S.C. governor Nikki Haley‘s evolving views on the gas tax have veered even further to the left …
As a candidate for governor in 2014, Haley opposed any increase in South Carolina’s gas tax. After winning reelection, though, she came out in support of an ill-conceived gas tax/ income tax swap – one that got less and less taxpayer-neutral as the debate wore on.
Now Haley is abandoning her former fiscal conservatism altogether and embracing a gas tax hike that contains no offsetting tax relief.
That’s right … she’s making yet another 180-degree reversal in her former ideology.
According to multiple South Carolina lawmakers (in both the S.C. House of Representatives and the State Senate), Haley’s legislative liaisons have made it clear that she will not insist on income tax relief as part of a gas tax hike moving forward.
Not only that, Haley is reportedly meeting with legislative leaders about whether to convene an emergency session of the S.C. General Assembly to pass a gas tax prior to lawmakers reconvening in January.
Haley’s latest position shift on the issue comes in the aftermath of “Floodmaggedon,” a record-setting deluge that prompted widespread flooding and infrastructure damage across the state. Early estimates indicate that the storm did $1.5 billion worth of damage to the state’s poorly maintained network of roads and bridges.
Should that total – the costly consequence of years of political prioritization – necessitate a tax hike?
No.
Why not? Because the state has the money to cover these costs. And even if it didn’t, it has assets it can sell to raise the money. And beyond that, let’s not forget it’s increased funding to the S.C. Department of Transportation by more than 80 percent over the last four years alone.
Once again, though, Haley is taking the easy way out – telling dirt poor citizens (who already pay a disproportionately high percentage of their income on fuel) to pony up once again.
You know … because “more money” is always their answer …
RAPID REACTION
@fitsnews Raising taxes and federal disaster handouts. SC now a blue state?
— sufferfest (@sufferfest) October 14, 2015
@fitsnews We must hold the line and demand no New Gas Tax
— John Katsanos (@katmancon) October 14, 2015
39 comments
What did the Democrat Debate say about increasing taxes? LMAO…
Don’t worry. Hillary will make sure you keep getting checks for her government.
You should get a bonus for working so tirelessly to help get he elected.
I warned you about Haley! The anchor baby has screwed all of us again!!
She’s done an amazing job.
Republicans run this state dumbness.
She is not running for anything in SC, unless she pulls a career hanger-on like Sanford….
So she has limited political power, which makes this a non-story…
She’s going to be one of the new faces of the National GOP.
You crazies have totally fucked the party and turned it into an international joke.
So, out with the bigots like you and in with the inclusion minorities…..I’m sorry the emerging majority. Don’t let the door hit ya where the fake lord split ya!
All the minorities already vote for ya and you lie,cheat and steal votes STILL can’t win!
You need ILLEGALS to win and ya ain’t gonna get em! Ha Ha!
Appears to me the Democrats have a diversity problem.Didn’t see any minorities last night.
Didn’t need any illegals in 2008 or 2012. We’ll elect your first female Pres or VP next year, so I’m not worried about diversity. Unlike you, we’re not obsessed with race or gender. Anyone with half a brain could see the Democrats acted mature and competent last night. Also, they are unified. Any combo of Hillary/Sanders will destroy any GOP ticket. There aren’t enough of you to elect a repub.
You sure are clueless.
I suggest we make every road a toll road. This would be a win-win, we could hire thousands of toll booth workers. Plus land owners in the right spots could get $$$$$ for selling the land to build the toll booths, which would be built by construction companies owned by big political contributors. Then the users of those roads would pay for them.
How else are we going to pay for this mess? Increasing the gas tax for a couple of years would be an uncalled financial burden on the citizens even though gas prices are down.
Pumping some gas, paying some tax. Hurray for us. We get the gas tax, without even having elected Tom. Hurray for our team.
Any word on whether she supports reform of the DOT and the Infrastructure Bank?
She’ll support whatever we tell her to.
Cut education (biggest line item in the state budget). Do away with everything that’s not directly related to basic education. Arts, Music, any non-revenue generating sport. Double class sizes so we can reduce staff and facilities.
I don’t think SC can get any worse at educating it’s citizens.
Not surprised you’d try, though.
The system sucks, stop spending money on it. Take the money in put it in to fixing our roads.
You certainly live up to that handle.
I know. He’s such a dumbass not to believe that moar and moar money isn’t the answer to our failed educational system. Just look at all the success we have had with throwing money at it, thus far.
sarcasm
The announcement is unfortunate.
The DOT and Infrastructure Bank are still inefficient and unworthy of our tax dollars.. There has been no move to change that and in fact more and more information has come to light that demonstrates the inadequate controls, cronyism and poor planing of those institutions..
I hope other statewide elected officials will step up and demand more accountability before we fork over billions of dollars.
“The announcement is unfortunate.”
And what announcement might that be? I haven’t heard or seen reported any announcement.
I am very disappointed in the the Governor. I am one of the last of my crowd to believe in her. This is it for me…no more hoping she will actually be a conservative governor.
Politicians ALWAYS take the lazy way out. That’s why we have bureaucracies. We continue to flirt with the idea of a third party.
Wow. Can’t believe she wants to give money to the Department of Transportation. Wow.
Sometimes the truth is just ugly. However it is still the truth. Current funding for SCDOT is inadequate to fix the state highways that are falling apart. Needless to say it was quite evident on how bad things had gotten when the rains hit and showed us all how bad the states roads are. The roads will not fix themselves and will continue to degrade every day. There are thousands of bridges and culvert pipes that need maintenance along with necessary repairs to keep the roads from falling in. This is on top of all the asphalt and roadbed issues that are currently evident in this state.
If we can’t demand that money be spent prudently, then we can’t demand that raids be built professionally, efficiently, or even in the right place.
I don’t mind paying more, but if I pay more I want more in return.
Simply paying more does not solve the problem.
So, in your opinion, what does solve the problem. As always, FITS claims he has the solution but never gives enough detail to be able to determine if the recommendations will pass the feasibility test. Kinda like the mantra “there’s so much waste, fraud, and abuse. Find the $$ there.” Well, tell us exactly which line items need to go and add up the total and we’ll see whether it’s doable. Brownback in KS set up commission to do just that. They found very little, despite the fact that there, like so many places, it is “accepted knowledge” that there is tons of waste that can be eliminated.
As the hurricane said to the coconut tree — “Hold on to your nuts because this ain’t gonna be a regular blow job!”
OK – that’s good.
The Department of Transportation is going to have its hands full with this engineering and rebuilding infrastructure from the floods. Somehow, we think by increasing its budget and scope (as planned last year, before the floods) that we are creating a situation where we will obtain value for our money.
That assumption is incorrect. In reality, we will pay significantly more than we should and the product will be inferior.
SC is being steered in the wrong direction. Accepting failure is not the path toward better infrastructure. I have seen this many times before and the results are always the same.
Just think of all the Mexicans who will get road jobs.
The funniest part of this whole roads/gas tax debate is that the left loves the idea but the practicality of it all is a massive giveaway to a bunch of republican corny capitalist road builders, pavers, and their republican politicians buddies.
Gotta love when one party finances the other.
We keep trusting the same people that gave us these crap roads.
Isn’t that the definition of crazy? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome?
Wanna really piss off over half the population of South Carolina? Just raise the gas tax and be prepared for tens of thousands to seek street justice.
God quietly Friday did what He said He would and Diamond Jim Clyburn is in the federal pen
Grahamnesty is in Hell asking why he can’t find Rock Hudson and voting for lesbians (again)
Wild hogs ate Sanford on the Appalachian Trail for abandoning his wife, sons and the truth
Tim Scott’s giving away governMENT watermelons to black folk—still clueless w/o a tooth
And Nikki Haley’s still trying to keep her knees from jerking and ripping down patriots’ flag
And of course Will’s still glad Nikki’s knees are jerking because the boy so likes to brag !!!
This beat’s all i have ever seen back year’s a go they cut the tree’s clear the land and paved the road’s and now yall set there and say dont have the money to do it!!!!. The tax go up ever year more car’s on the road’s now then ever be for were all that tax money going???? . Look’s like there puting to much money in there pockets and that is not right at all.Complete Audit of D.O.T. before they get any more money.The public needs to know where all the money is going now a bunch of crooks and liars.There stealing our money with out the gun.
The fuel tax hasn’t been increased since 1987.
I’m betting she becomes a Democrat in 2 years. Want to bet?