S.C. House of Representative Passes Roads Bill

The South Carolina House passed a bill Wednesday to pay to repair the state’s crumbling roads by increasing the state’s gas tax by 10 cents a gallon.

The proposal, which would raise roughly $427 million a year, passed 87-20, a large enough margin in the GOP-dominated House to survive a veto threat by Republican Gov. Nikki Haley.

State Rep. Gary Simrill, R-York, said the “strong vote” shows House members are serious about fixing S.C. roads.

The House proposal would:

▪  Increase the state’s gas tax by the equivalent of 10 cents a gallon to 26.75 cents

▪  Increase the maximum state sales tax on vehicles to $500 from $300

▪  Cut the average S.C. taxpayer’s income taxes by $48 a year. Once phased-in after two years, that tax cut would reduce the state’s $6.9-billion-a-year general fund by roughly $50 million.

Haley took to Facebook on Wednesday evening saying she was stunned the House voted to “raise your taxes by $365 million” next year. She posted to her social media followers how House members voted. She has said she would veto a tax increase to repair roads that did not include a “massive” tax cut.

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