FIFTEEN PERCENT HIKE IN GENERAL FUND REVENUE PROJECTED
Supporters of a gasoline tax hike in South Carolina have a problem …
Check that: They’ve got a billion problems.
According to ranking members of both the S.C. House of Representatives and the State Senate, the Palmetto State’s budget – already bursting at the seams with new money – is projected to balloon by roughly one billion dollars in the coming fiscal year.
Oh, and a huge chunk of this new money – up to $350 million of it, we’re told – is recurring funding, meaning it’s money that is projected to continue flowing into government coffers on an annual basis.
Now … does this sound like the time to raise taxes? Hell no.
In fact it sounds to us like the time to cut them …
While the state’s mainstream media may never level with you regarding the true size of the spending plan – there’s little concealing the estimates released by the S.C. Board of Economic Advisors (BEA).
Which are scheduled to come out later this week …
Assuming the projections are accurate, we’re looking at a potential 15 percent increase in general fund revenues. And remember – the general fund is just one of three pots of money that comprise the state spending plan. Last year the general fund totaled approximately $7 billion – to which lawmakers added $8.3 billion in federal funds (i.e. “manna from heaven”) and $9.4 billion in “other funds” (i.e. monies generated from hundreds of different fees and fines assessed on the people of South Carolina).
And let’s not forget the $1.5 billion that goes toward food stamps (money taken off the books by lawmakers last year).
Add it all up at the current budget – which runs from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016 – was roughly $26 billion. These projections would indicate the FY 2016-17 budget will top $27 billion – another billion-dollar increase.
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: State government has more than enough money to address infrastructure needs. And even if it didn’t, it has assets it can sell to raise the money.
Anyone still arguing in favor of a gas tax hike in light of these numbers is simply trying to rob you …
It’s been a rough couple weeks for gas tax hikers. In addition to this wave of new money, the mainstream media in the Palmetto State has awakened to the rampant corruption in road funding. Additionally, a national advocacy group signaled its intention to remain engaged in the debate – arguing against new taxes.
UPDATE: Well, well … it’s actually $1.2 billion.
99 comments
State employees might see a 0.25% pay raise this year!!!
Yeah, but Law Makers will give themselves a 1000 percent raise! And piss the rest away on pet pork!
It’s .25% too much.
we already receive more money from the federal government than we put in, so we should lower our taxes and expect the blue states to fund the tax cut, republicans love their welfare as long as it does not go to the needy.
It does go to the needy, Haley, Leatherface, etc !
Black Americans make up 32% of welfare recipients, even though they comprise a mere 12% of the US population. So the demographics of welfare recipients are not comparable to the overall demographics of the US. Even more concerning, Black Americans are more than twice as likely to have been on welfare than White Americans.
Sorry cocksucker.Fact is blacks vote 100% Democrat.Red state voters support democrat voters.
How many black millionaires were in the United States when slavery was abolished ?
I can honestly say that is the stupidest question I have ever seen posted on FitsNews.
nope, one fella posted a question to willie asking him if he had any nakkied photos of the Gypsy Queen
hell, everyone knows the Gypsy Queen is a hole in the sheet sexier, aka a sheet-fcker
http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/sex/a23230/hole-in-sheet-sex-0613/
Why do you care? You’re an impotent old fart.
this was posted earlier by #racistsdontmatter jimlewisowb • 10 minutes ago
“Another impotent old white goober”
Could it be that LimpBiscuit and #racistsdontmatter occupy the same body
Could it be you are actually impotent? Two different people are saying so…
naw
same person, one sock, two hands on same puppet
Why do you care you’re a limp biscuit ?
if that is the stupidest question you have ever seen, maybe you should craw out from under your rock more often.
I’m not even close, you must be new.
your point had nothing to do with my post. spout off anything you want, but lets not even pretend you are replying
How do we pay for SNAP again? Run that by us again
Hard working Republican taxpayers pay for your welfare.
Another intentionally illogical piece to frustrate thinking people ?
Wait. So let me get this straight, according to Tango the economy is in shambles. And according to Flip, the real unemployment rate is 99%. So then how are we getting an additional $1.5 billion in tax revenue? This makes no sense. Someone is lying. Some is full of crap. Humph!!!!??? Could it be Will? Or is it Flip and Tango? I wonder……..
In January 2009, there were 80.5 million Americans 16 and over who were not in the labor force. Today, that number is slightly below 93 million. So the number not in the labor force has increased by about 12.5 million.
If you factor this number into the U-6 calculation (and subtract the “marginally attached” category to avoid double counting) you get a back-of-the-envelope rate of 16 percent.
Where do you count the 8,677,000 new non-farm jobs since January 2009?
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/CES0000000001
2014 pew research article.
People 55 and over do, as you might expect, account for more than half of the 85.9 million adults (as of October) who say they don’t want a job — about the same percentage as in 2000. But the 16-to-24 share has edged higher, while the 25-to-54 share has slipped. That could reflect more young adults staying in or returning to school rather than chancing a tough job market.
Ooops, facts!!!!
A real interesting view is a long term graph. So labor participation starts to jump up around 1970, about the time your generation of old baby-boomers enter the workforce. It continues to climb and then peaks around 1985, when the last of the boomers fully flood the labor market. Oddly, it’s declining just about 45 years after old boomer hit retirement age. Very interesting indeed. And now us tweeners have to pay for your social security for the next 25 years. At least you could say thank you.
I have said this before.
I know but it never seems to sink into the dense.
thanks Rocky
Sanford had a $1 billion budget surplus in 2006 (the last of the GREAT Bush economy, before Ds overtook Congress) and Sanford pissed it away, like the Liberal-Tarian he is. And FITSNews kissed Sanford’s ass down to the last cent the Liberal-Tarians wasted.
But Pappa, if the economy was so good why didn’t we have one in 2007 and 2008 when Bush was still President? Did W foookit up? Yep he did!!!!!
I didn’t say the economy was not good. It just was not GREAT after that. The economy did not tank until Democrats got FULL control in 2008.
Learn how to read Dumbass.
PS: Your question still does nothing to detract from the fact Bush had a great economy. You’ve been one fucked up year after another…to the tune of $18 Trillion in debt, Obamacare expense and higher taxes, inflation, and astronomical gas prices for most of 7 years….EXPLAIN that, Dumbass.
For 2-3 years. The rest of the time it sucked for everyone but the rich.
At least you admit the 2-3 years. Most Head-up-their-ass liberals will not even concede that much truth. You’re growing. Take a bow.
That said: The economy has been a TOTAL DISASTER for ALL of Obama’s terms. And if we don’t change directions Sharply, we’re in BIG trouble, all because he is such a miserable fuck up.
Again, if “the economy has been a total disaster for all of Obama’s terms” how is the tax revenue in SC going up so much, since as you know, President Barak Hussien Obama, is still in office. There seems to be a disconnect here.
Awe screw it – the actual imperical data shows TARav is full of crap. Again!!!
Republican controlled-states have been able to fight off Democrat destruction. Haley has lured thousands of jobs here. She (or Alan Wilson) had to fight – and beat Obama- to do it. But we did.
Just think how we’d BOOM, if we did not have the yoke of the federal government choking us…along with Obama’s $18 Trillion in debt? Not to mention $1 billion is a lot less with Obama’s HORRIBLE inflation.
Anyway: like Texas, the least Democrat State in the Union, and the most prosperous. Ain’t it funny how Conservatism makes for a robust economy, but all Liberalism ever does is fail?
Ever lived in Texas, have any idea how many illegals work there for 2 dollars ?
None…many of them, if not half, are Republicans, and LOVE America, not hate it , like you and Obama.
They love America since the labor is cheep, even better they don’t have to go to China.
Kinda mixing up your mythology, aren’t you Dumbass?…LMAO…
Bring your crap anytime
They do love the USA, and they are comming to better themselves. Key word for ya. “BETTER THEMSELVES” so why do you whine ? They work, you don’t ! Just because you’re white does not mean a free pass, LMAO !
I’m not whining you Brain-Dead Fuck. I’m telling you that any productive immigrant to the US will tell you to get Fucked, and get off your lazy Democrat ass…and help pull the wagon…They don’t want to pay for your sloth, either.
They wnt you to contribute, instead of bitching about racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the other Busllshit you use to attack America with…and make excuses as to why you are a fucking blood-sucking parasite.
I can teach you how to live in the new world order. Just ask with enthusiasm !
Like Kansas? Also, Texas will be a blue state in a few years. Might even go purple in 2016.
Republicans only have a record of failure to run on. That’s just one of many reasons they have zero chance of winning the White House anytime soon.
Half the Hispanic population in Texas votes R. After they get here, begin working and earning, and realizing how GREAT America is, they turn their back on you America HATERS. Nobody wants to fund trashy Democrat policies.
I have a feeling your importation of America-Haters, will backfire on you, Dumbass.
fluffer
8.5 Billion dollars from the Federal government?
SC is like one giant GramdTango.
We be ghettofabulous up here in dis hood. Don’t cramp our style and pass the Royal Crown Grand Tango!
Living da EBT lifestyle. Crown Royal, EBT, 24″ rims, & bitches like Haley who work the soul pole like a white hooker looking fo her next meth score.
You’re very boring and flat. And you can’t learn creativity. You’re either born with it or not. I’m afraid you’re shit out of luck. (:
There’s GrandTango. How come you use that profile instead of GrandTango?
You still say the same moronic crap.
just can’t bring yourself to thank me for turning you to seasick steve, you know that is being weak don’t you?
He knows 1 thing : OBAMA is black.
may be passing through wednesday or thursday, if i do, will sample the best tea in branchville, definately have a job in bluffton next monday, told them the have to shit or get off the pot by wednesday on the other job so i can finish it before monday, we will see.
The door is for you.
In a good way. Bring fresh shrimp, a shoe in, LOL.
The DOOR is for the illegals!!!! Bye Bye Dems!!!Just in!!!
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Barack Obama’s plan to protect from deportation an estimated 5 million people living in the United States illegally has suffered another setback in court.
In a 2-1 decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans upheld a Texas-based judge’s injunction blocking the Obama administration’s immigration initiative.
Republicans had criticized the plan as an illegal executive overreach when Obama announced it last November. Twenty-six states challenged the plan in court.
The administration argued that the executive branch was within its rights in deciding to defer deportation of selected groups of immigrants.
Part of the initiative included expansion of a program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, protecting young immigrants from deportation if they were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
In your raciest mind, thanks.
One day you will understand. Just not this day or any other.
Just stew in your shit, LOL. .
Fluffer
Obama’s spent $9 Trillion…where’s the rest that miserable Bastard has taken from us. You fucking thief.
GrandTango getting welfare isn’t bad because flip gets even more welfare than he does!
Hey, GrandTango, how much does Obama give you?
I bet you can’t wait for president Bernie to open the flood gates, huh?
fLuffer
Grand turd for the record. Other ttban that grand corruption.
We need an ongoing stable funding source for every single core function of government.
But, the Republicans and Libertarians prefer we use one time money and rob Peter to pay Paul as their high finance ideas.
What can you expect from people who still believe in trickle down and that cutting taxes on the rich is the solution to all economic problems?
And, what can you expect from people who are scared of lardass Grover Norquist?
“Libertarians prefer we use one time money and rob Peter to pay Paul as their high finance ideas. ”
Really? Have you ever considered the fact that the entire concept of taxation is based upon robbing “Peter to pay Paul”?
Could it be the Haley recovery that brought all that extra revenue.
lets drill down a little deeper haley apposed amazon, apposed chaleston harbor improvement, approved savanah harbor improvement. on the plus side boeng, helped bring in continental. so for her i would call it a wash, the rest is Obama.
She did not oppose Charleston. SC companies use Savannah too. When SC had 3.2% job growth, the country had 1.9%.
and those figures are really good, really anything in the plus is good but we had higher unemployment than average when we started out of the hole.
our unemployment rate is 0.6% above the national rate, but more people are moving to SC.
I’ll give you a dollar, if you can show me one SC media source that reported that SC had the second highest job growth in the country for the past 12 months.
South Carolna Political Digest – nope, that’s not it.
Who gives a crap, South Carolinians still have incomes near the bottom of the nation, education near the bottom of the nation, our health is among the worst states in the nation, our poverty level is among the highest in the nation, and we have high unemployment. All of that is directly attributable to the leadership of Republicans, like SC Governor Haley. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear; and our current leadership from the Governor on down is a sow’s ear at best.
Preach it Jack !
State facts jack. What is South Carolina’s ranking? What was it when Democrats governed?
If you don’t care that South Carolina had the second highest job growth of any state in the last twelve months, then it does prove that you don’t give a crap, but I wouldn’t brag about being that ignorant and uneducated.
Time to pay down on the pension fund liabilities. I understand it is 21 billion dollars now. We need to pay that down before we pay anything else.
Hell, that will never happen.
I wonder where Columbia will get the $7,000,000 to fix the canal dike they wrecked by negligence or incompetence?
we are a welfare state, the rest of the union will step up and help us and that is ok, what chaps my ass is sc republicans want to contribute, cut taxes, less to the union, and put their grubby little hands out for more money.
If the dike failed because of gross operator errors of the control gates, causing canal overtopping, I wonder if the damage even can legally be paid by FEMA. Of course they could lie about it.
Few, a point?
? ?
Blame game ?
They are blaming a non-existent “1000-year” flood and acting like the damage was unavoidable, when in fact the intake gates were not anywhere near fully closed and the main emergency outlet sluices were two-thirds blocked with some installed devices (that were soon removed from sight after the dike failed). The thus uncontrolled and full-to-the-brim canal eventually overflowed the dike or in any case overloaded it.
Someone will eventually report it I suppose. There are plenty of pictures proving it. It should be interesting when it eventually comes out.
(Got to go. Tomorrow.)
You said it. Some do need help.Not on a scale of much,
96 tears
not even a kiss?
A billion dollars sounds like a lot of money that should be spent on the roads. How far will that get us? Divide that among the 46 counties in the state that is roughly $21,739,000 per county. Reconstruction cost per center line mile $477,543 for a primary road equals about 45.5 miles in the county. Some counties have upward of 300 miles of primary roads, add in the secondary roads maybe another 800 miles or more. This would be one time money and is not guaranteed every year. Doesn’t seem like it would put a big dent in the problem. Don’t forget to add in the costs of bridge replacements that can be over 1 million for some bridges. Tough choices that need to be dealt with every year. Which roads and which bridges to modernize and improve. Decisions, decisions. No easy answers folks. Think about it.
No one will see any of that other than the chosen
Troll alert !
Based purely on SC’s low debt ratios, amounts of cash on hand, positive cash flow and major assets, i.e. Santee Cooper; SC may be the richest state in the United States on a “per citizen basis.”
That’s amazing considering how poor our average SC citizen’s daily lives really are today.
This is either excellent management of the people’s money and assets.
Or, one of the worse, stupid and dumbass ways to manage the people’s assets.
Take your choice.
They need to use at least a portion of the surplus to better align state staffing and salaries with the market. Everyone and their dog has an administrative assistant but they don’t pay professionals a professional salary… and it often shows in the quality of employees the state attracts.