South Carolina Pledge Breakers Override Sanford's Veto

Legislators Betray Constituents with a 700 percent Tax Increase

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The South Carolina legislature recently overrode Gov. Sanford's veto on House Bill 3584, legislation that will increase the tax on cigarettes in South Carolina by more than 700 percent. Sanford's veto was overridden by a vote of 90-29 in the House and 33-13 in the Senate. In casting "aye" votes, the following legislators broke a central campaign promise to their constituents to oppose any and all efforts to raise taxes:

Senate

Dick Elliott (S-28)

Michael Fair (S-6)

John Yancey McGill (S-32)

Nikki G. Setzler (S-26)

House

Jimmy Bales (H-80)

Bruce Bannister (H-24)

Kenneth A. Bingham (H-89)

Bill Bowers (H-120)

Joan Brady (H-78)

Marion Frye (H-39)

James Harrison (H-75)

Chip Huggins (H-85)

Lanny Littlejohn (H-33)

Jay Lucas (H-65)

James H. Merrill (H-99)

Rex Fontaine Rice (H-26)

Murrell Smith (H-67)

J. Roland Smith (H-84)

Annette Young (H-98)

"This vote for higher taxes at the state level comes at a time when South Carolina families and businesses are trying to cope with the $670 billion in higher taxes that have been passed out of Washington in just the past year," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. "In light of this, and the fact that state government in Columbia has continued to increase spending while South Carolinians are making due with less and unemployment has skyrocketed, it's unconscionable that South Carolina legislators find it acceptable to pile on with more job-killing tax increases at the state level."

With this 700 percent tax increase, South Carolina's cigarette excise tax is now higher than neighboring states of Georgia and North Carolina. Passage of HB 3584 represents the largest state tax increase South Carolina has seen in over a quarter century.

"This tax increase only serves to siphon more money from the economy and makes South Carolina increasingly dependent upon the federal government, which, in case anyone has missed, is over $12 trillion in debt," added Norquist. "Fortunately, this being an election year, Palmetto State taxpayers won't have to wait long to hold these elected officials accountable for going against their word."

Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at [email protected].

SOURCE Americans for Tax Reform

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