Tag: Fines and Fees

Fines & Fees Imposed by the Unelected: WWFD?

WHY THE DANGER OF ‘TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION’ IS STILL  WITH US In many states – certainly including South Carolina – the state can raise taxes on citizens without even consulting the legislature. If that sounds outrageous, consider the fact that fines and fees are taxes. The raising of fines and fees on citizens by state …

Why the State Budget Grows … No Matter What

FINES AND FEES GO UP WHEN TAX REVENUES ARE DOWN … AND WHEN THEY’RE UP, TOO For the last decade, the majority party in both chambers of the legislature has frequently claimed to espouse the principles of limited government and spending restraint. It’s striking, then, that in no sense has government been limited during these …

SC’s Tax Structure: Good, Bad, or Just Plain Awful?

In recent months, some of our state lawmakers have spoken of South Carolina’s tax structure as if it’s the lowest, most business-friendly in the world. Some, indeed, have claimed we have the “lowest taxes in the nation.” But before you take the hype at face value, consider: 1) South Carolina does not have the “lowest taxes …

Breaking Open the State Budget: Other Funds Spending in South Carolina

States use different budget categories to differentiate the sources and purposes of
different revenue streams. South Carolina, like other states, has multiple funding
categories. Broadly speaking, state spending is divided into the following four areas: 1)
the General Fund; 2) Federal Funds; 3) Other Funds; and 4) Proviso/Special Funding
spending not included in any of the previous categories.1

Fine and Fee Increases: You’re Next

For more than two decades, no general tax increases have been enacted in South Carolina, a fact often cited by legislators seeking to burnish their “friend of the taxpayer” credentials. But if it’s true the General Assembly hasn’t passed a general tax increase in some time, every year they’ve tacked on myriad fees, assessments and …