THE REASON HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IDEOLOGY It’s a tale of two legislative sessions. In one state, lawmakers passed significant tax reform that lowers tax rates across the board,…
WHEN THE ISSUE IS THE PRESERVATION OF POWER, REFORM HASN’T GOT A CHANCE In 2013, despite all the rhetoric with which the legislative year began, lawmakers failed to pass a…
THEORIES ARE DEBATABLE. REALITY? NOT SO MUCH. When a public official wants to sell a big spending increase, he’ll almost inevitably justify it by claiming that it won’t just create…
WHY TAXPAYERS DESERVE DETAILS – NOT VAGUE TALKING POINTS AND HIGHER TAXES On June 25th, the mayor of Columbia, Steve Benjamin, unveiled what’s being commonly called the “Bull Street Development Deal.” The…
GOV. HALEY’S TASK FORCE ON REGULATION HAS BEGUN TO MEET … HERE’S THE PROBLEM IT FACES Unfortunately, we live in a world in which pedicures and funeral parlor bathrooms are…
WHY STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS DON’T MATTER Earlier this year, the Policy Council launched Project Conflict Watch, an initiative asking state elected officials to disclose their sources of private income…
WHAT IS IT? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? Over the past several weeks, a great deal of controversy and discussions have arisen on…
FIRST PRIORITY FOR GOV. HALEY’S REGULATORY TASK FORCE: A SUNSET LAW Is the General Assembly alone empowered to make laws in South Carolina? Not exactly. No fewer than 21 state…
THINK THERE ARE GREAT ARGUMENTS FOR ELIMINATING THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX? SO DOES ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE. AND YET . . . In a red, “conservative” state like South Carolina,…
A PERNICIOUS BARRIER TO HEALTH CARE FREEDOM HAS COME DOWN. IT SHOULD STAY THAT WAY. Last Wednesday, South Carolina House lawmakers – possibly accidentally – enacted the most pro-liberty reform…
TAKE THE QUIZ … AFTER ALL, IT’S YOUR MONEY 1) How large is the total state budget? a. $6.5 billion b. $16.5 billion c. $22.8 billion d. $24.3 billion 2)…
THERE IS NO COMPARISON. LITERALLY. South Carolinians have become accustomed to seeing their state placed at or near the wrong side of a variety of national rankings. Early childhood education,…
Reforms Pass in North Carolina … But Not Here
THE REASON HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IDEOLOGY It’s a tale of two legislative sessions. In one state, lawmakers passed significant tax reform that lowers tax rates across the board,…
Why Did Reform Die in 2013?
WHEN THE ISSUE IS THE PRESERVATION OF POWER, REFORM HASN’T GOT A CHANCE In 2013, despite all the rhetoric with which the legislative year began, lawmakers failed to pass a…
Beware the Multiplier Effect
THEORIES ARE DEBATABLE. REALITY? NOT SO MUCH. When a public official wants to sell a big spending increase, he’ll almost inevitably justify it by claiming that it won’t just create…
The Bull Street Deal: Extreme Caution Advised
WHY TAXPAYERS DESERVE DETAILS – NOT VAGUE TALKING POINTS AND HIGHER TAXES On June 25th, the mayor of Columbia, Steve Benjamin, unveiled what’s being commonly called the “Bull Street Development Deal.” The…
The Real Problem with Regulation
GOV. HALEY’S TASK FORCE ON REGULATION HAS BEGUN TO MEET … HERE’S THE PROBLEM IT FACES Unfortunately, we live in a world in which pedicures and funeral parlor bathrooms are…
Project Conflict Watch: The SEI Response
WHY STATEMENTS OF ECONOMIC INTERESTS DON’T MATTER Earlier this year, the Policy Council launched Project Conflict Watch, an initiative asking state elected officials to disclose their sources of private income…
Common Core in South Carolina: FAQs
WHAT IS IT? HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? AND WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT? Over the past several weeks, a great deal of controversy and discussions have arisen on…
How to Reduce S.C.’s Regulatory Burden
FIRST PRIORITY FOR GOV. HALEY’S REGULATORY TASK FORCE: A SUNSET LAW Is the General Assembly alone empowered to make laws in South Carolina? Not exactly. No fewer than 21 state…
Why Tax Reform Can’t Happen (Yet)
THINK THERE ARE GREAT ARGUMENTS FOR ELIMINATING THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX? SO DOES ALMOST EVERYONE ELSE. AND YET . . . In a red, “conservative” state like South Carolina,…
“Certificate of Need” Program: Not Needed
A PERNICIOUS BARRIER TO HEALTH CARE FREEDOM HAS COME DOWN. IT SHOULD STAY THAT WAY. Last Wednesday, South Carolina House lawmakers – possibly accidentally – enacted the most pro-liberty reform…
Test Your Knowledge of the S.C. State Budget
TAKE THE QUIZ … AFTER ALL, IT’S YOUR MONEY 1) How large is the total state budget? a. $6.5 billion b. $16.5 billion c. $22.8 billion d. $24.3 billion 2)…
Income Disclosure Laws: How Does S.C. Rank?
THERE IS NO COMPARISON. LITERALLY. South Carolinians have become accustomed to seeing their state placed at or near the wrong side of a variety of national rankings. Early childhood education,…