One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
House, Senate Leadership Final Budget Proposal Fails Taxpayers
Session has ended but Leadership’s spending addiction is still in full effect. Since we adjourned on May 8th, House and Senate appointees for the conference committee on the budget have been meeting, and scheming how they can spend more of your money. Now, their report- the final budget proposal- will come to the floor for consideration on May 28th at 1 PM. Here are the two top highlights:
1. House and Senate Leadership “found” $1 billion, and yes, they plan on spending at least half of it
- Early in the budget process, the South Carolina Freedom Caucus voiced our opposition to the budget for a variety of reasons. Chief among those reasons was that this budget increases spending over last year, is well in front of adjustments for inflation, and has no substantive tax cuts. After Senate and House leadership made much ado about eliminating pork, they found $1 billion for special projects after the cameras turned off and session adjourned. Remember- you can’t cut taxes if you don’t cut spending. H.4216, Leadership’s tax hike bill, was a total sham and an attempt to gaslight, manipulate, and confuse voters into thinking they were cutting their taxes when in reality they were raising them. Now, their new proposal aims to increase spending by at least another $500 million, maybe more.
2. The Legislature is going to increase their pay by 80% while spending more of your money
- Yes, you read that right: this final proposal has a pay increase baked in for both House and Senate members. Whatever your opinion is on legislative pay increases, one thing is true- the South Carolina General Assembly and its Republican Super Majorities have done nothing to warrant a pay increase. Our legislature is failing our people and not promoting or upholding the Republican Party platform through the legislation they prioritize. Closed Primaries, Pro-life Legislation, DOGE cuts, tax cuts, parental rights, immigration enforcement, and medical freedom- none of these key conservative issues received any attention this year. South Carolina taxpayers deserve a pay raise through tax and spending cuts, not the legislature who takes hardworking citizens’ money and spends it like drunken sailors.
As you could probably guess, SCFC will be voting no on this budget proposal and we hope our colleagues do as well. South Carolina Republicans must get serious about fiscal restraint, cutting spending, and reducing taxes. This budget reflects the fiscal habits of a Democrat super majority legislature, not Republican.
For Liberty,
SCFC
Thank you (once again) for keeping us informed!
Evidently, SC Republican (RINO) legislators have not discovered the mandates of the November Presidential election. Evidently, they are not aware of the DOGE efforts of the Trump administration. Evidently, they are not aware that the SC GOP calls for lower spending, less government. Evidently, the RINOs wish to be primaried in the next election.
The SC GOP Legislature stands in defiance of SC taxpayers and aligns itself with the Uni-party. Only the SC Freedom Caucus stands for, by and with SC taxpayers. Thank you, Freedom Caucus.