Author Archives: The Ruoff Group

Duke’s Proposed Mandatory Fee: Unjust and Bad Energy Policy

Posted on January 7, 2019 by The Ruoff Group

Duke Energy is trying to triple the mandatory fee that South Carolinian’s Duke customers pay before they use the first kilowatt of electricity. Duke Energy filed significant rate increase requests with the Public Service Commission that will: a) hit particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Policy, Utilities | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Every Family in SC Pays Taxes: The Poorest Pay a Larger Share of Their Income than Wealthiest

Posted on October 19, 2018 by The Ruoff Group

As the S.C. General Assembly looks to do “tax reform,” a new report, Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in All 50 States by the D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy [ITEP] illuminates the flawed premise … Continue reading →

Posted in SC Budget, Taxes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Columbia’s Ballpark Study: Ask the Wrong Questions and You’ll Get the Wrong Answers

Posted on January 19, 2014 by The Ruoff Group

When public bodies get poor information, they make poor decisions. Mayor Steve Benjamin appears ready to push Columbia City Council to make such a poor decision on Tuesday (1/21/14) when it takes up a resolution to direct the City Manager … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development, Impact Studies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Look at the Net Effect of Economic Development Investments

Posted on July 2, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

We have been watching the City of Columbia’s decision-making on the Bull Street Neighborhood Development, the sale and development of the SC Department of Mental Health properties.  A significant piece of the sales pitch for that is an analysis prepared … Continue reading →

Posted in Economic Development, Economy, Impact Studies | Leave a comment

Does Building a Public Ballpark Make Sense for Columbia?

Posted on June 30, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

The City of Columbia’s proposed Development Agreement: Bull Street Neighborhood with Greenville’s Hughes Development Corporation includes an effort to build a new baseball stadium in order to attract a minor league club to Columbia. The City commits (at p. 22 … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Medicaid Expansion Would Help Working South Carolinians

Posted on April 25, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

Some 700,000 South Carolina non-elderly adults aged 19 to 64 lived at or below 138 % of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) in 2011.[1] The Affordable Care Act expands eligibility for Medicaid to those with incomes below 138 % FPL. … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care, Medicaid Expansion, SC Budget | 2 Comments

Non-Tax Revenues: It’s Really About Making Higher Education Unaffordable

Posted on April 3, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

In a recent editorial in The State, Cindi Ross Scoppe points to the highest in the nation share (48.4 %) that non-tax revenues made in 2010 of state and local revenues. “Our non-tax revenue in 2010, the latest year analyzed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Funding, SC Budget, Taxes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The ACA Toolbox for Health Reform: What State Health Leaders Aren’t Telling the General Assembly

Posted on February 5, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides health policymakers with a robust set of tools to accomplish important changes to both bring costs under control and improve our health and health care. The coverage expansion which ensures affordable access to this … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care, SC Budget | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Who Pays State and Local Taxes in South Carolina?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

Low-income and middle class taxpayers in South Carolina pay a larger share of their income to support our public structures and systems than do our wealthiest taxpayers. The quality of life we all enjoy in South Carolina is directly connected … Continue reading →

Posted in SC Budget, Taxes | Tagged , | 1 Comment

A Tale of Two Maps: Misdirection in the Medicaid Expansion Debate

Posted on January 25, 2013 by The Ruoff Group

As SCDHHS Director Tony Keck travels the state arguing that South Carolina should not do a Medicaid expansion, a central argument is that the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act does not put the money where it’s needed. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care | Tagged | 3 Comments