By Paul Gable
We finally know the secret plan of Gov. Nikki Haley to fix the state’s roads.
Haley announced her three-part plan to fix state roads during her State of the State address two nights ago.
The three-part plan is – increase the state gas tax by 10 cents over three years, decrease state income tax rates by 2 percent over 10 years and restructure the Department of Transportation from a legislative appointed agency to a governor appointed agency.
According to analysis of Haley’s plan, the average taxpayer in South Carolina would save a net $623 per year, in taxes paid, if Haley’s three-part plan is instituted.
Cutting to the chase, Haley’s plan to fix the state’s roads is to cut taxes!
‘Trickle Down’ is obviously alive and well in South Carolina.
Of course, this plan fits well into the 10-word sound bite so popular among our conservative leaders – ‘Is it government’s money or is it the people’s money?”
Let’s assume it’s the people’s money and they should be allowed to keep more of it. When that road in front of your house deteriorates to the point that you can’t drive your car to work you are going to have to ante up some of that tax savings, along with your neighbors, to fix it or you can find some other mode of transportation.
If we are going to have roads, somebody is going to have to pay for them. They don’t magically construct and fix themselves. Either it is in a communal effort run by the government and funded by individual taxes, a communal non-government effort run by an unknown entity funded by individual contributions or there are no roads and we can go back to riding horses and walking.
It’s not government and taxes that are the real problem. Rather it’s those we elect to run the government that is the problem.
Whose money is it – the government’s to fix the roads, mine to fix the roads or some politician’s to spend on a special interest project?
One thing I know for certain – It should not be my tax money given to a corporation so it can build a new facility at my expense while politicians brag about creating new jobs.
Thanks for nothing Gov. Haley.
Speak Up…