SC Senate proposes no earmarks to budget proposal

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – The state Senate Finance Committee has been meeting all week to discuss their budget proposal, which is significantly different from the original version.

A big change in the Senate’s proposed budget is that there will be no earmarks, which means millions of taxpayer dollars will not be set aside for community projects.

Supporters said the money would be used to lower the income tax.

“A lot of it was used for good projects that put us and called us up in some places, especially coming out of COVID and everything. But right now is the time that maybe through all this excess that we were able to cut back and get more money back to people,” said Senator Ross Turner (R – Greenville).

Several committee members clapped after the announcement was made that there was no earmark proposition for this year.

In the proposed budget, almost $300 million is allocated to reduce the top income tax rate to 6%.

“We’re seeing cutbacks. We’re seeing different departments getting their federal money cut, and so now we also have to be responsible because I think a lot of that’s shifting back to the states,” Sen. Turner said. “We’ve got to make sure our budgets in order to be able to pick up where we can.”

The Senate budget would cut $600 million of agency requests.

“Focused on the taxpayer, all the taxpayers, instead of just special interest groups who come to Columbia to try to get ahold of the taxpayer money for their projects,” said Senator Larry Grooms (R – Berkeley).

Finance Committee Chair Senator Harvey Peeler (R – Cherokee) said he has spoken with Rep. Bruce Bannister, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Rep. Bannister said he agrees with having no earmarks.

Peeler said, “I joke a lot about it’s impossible to price cut taxes more than Harvey Peeler.

Governor Henry McMaster’s office, and they said they will need time to review the budget in full before making a public comment.

The House will debate the budget in two weeks.