Author Archives: The Ruoff Group

The Haley Budget Translated: Blame It on Obamacare

Posted on December 26, 2012

To listen to Governor Nikki Haley, a core budgetary problem facing our state is Obamacare. “Every dollar that Washington forces us to spend on a still-inefficient Medicaid program is a dollar we can’t put into our schools, into our roads … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Education Funding, Health Care, SC Budget, Taxes | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Medicaid Expansion: Costs or Savings for South Carolina?

Posted on August 10, 2012

Will a Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cost South Carolina $1.085 billion or save us somewhere between $59 million and $679 million. Those are two numbers on the table as South Carolina begins a debate on whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Health Care, SC Budget | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Governor Haley’s Vetoes and Budget Policy: what seventy-four vetoes to the General Appropriations bill and seven in the Capital Reserve Fund bill mean for teachers, the arts and our oceans

Posted on July 9, 2012

The General Assembly’s failure is two-fold—they failed to produce a timely budget and,­ combined with gubernatorial vetoes issued late Thursday, have thrown school districts and at least two state agencies into uncertainty. Governor Nikki Haley’s vetoes would eliminate $10 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Education Funding, Health Care, SC Budget, Taxes | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Cutting School Taxes to Fix School Funding?

Posted on May 4, 2012

“[A]n investment in public education is essential to the future economic prosperity of our great state” declare the prime sponsors of a proposal for education funding reform. However, in part because they combine this reform with property tax cuts for … Continue reading →

Posted in SC Budget | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Much Ado About Nothing: SC Sales Tax “Reform”

Posted on April 20, 2012

After much publicity about eliminating two-thirds of sales tax exemptions, the SC House Ways & Means Committee concluded on Wednesday that the state’s sales tax system wasn’t so broke after all. After reviewing the $2.8 billion in sales tax exemptions, … Continue reading →

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

Rewarding Work and Building Wealth: A State Earned Income Tax Credit

Posted on April 16, 2012

Rather than doling out small individual income tax cuts of up to $84 per year to better off taxpayers, the South Carolina General Assembly should instead implement a Ronald Reagan endorsed pro-family, job creation measure which can have real impact—a … Continue reading →

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SC Senate on Verge of Giving State Power to Take Over Medicare

Posted on April 3, 2012

The South Carolina Senate is poised to pass legislation to authorize South Carolina to take over all federal health care programs and repeal all federal health care laws and regulations. That would end Medicare, the health care program for persons … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Health Care, SC Budget | 5 Comments

SC GOP House Tax Plan Shifts a Billion Dollars onto Owners of Homes and Vehicles

Posted on March 27, 2012

Two of the bills in the SC House GOP Caucus tax package will both transfer significant tax burden onto homeowners and car owners and gut budgets of schools, counties, municipalities and special purpose districts.  The legislation is advertised as reducing … Continue reading →

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SC Small Business Tax Cut Shrinks Government but Doesn’t Help Small Business Development

Posted on March 26, 2012

The SC House GOP proposed tax cut for small businesses will cost South Carolina’s General Fund $60 million per year while generating no economic development benefits.  This bill reduces the tax rate on businesses which are not “C” corporations (“sole … Continue reading →

Posted in SC Budget | 1 Comment

SC House Republicans Move to Tax Working Poor

Posted on March 21, 2012

The SC House Republicans have moved to amend legislation to increase taxes on working poor South Carolinians.  The bill (H. 4997), part of the House GOP Caucus’s “comprehensive tax reform,” originally provided up to a $168 tax cut to taxpayers … Continue reading →

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