Economists Question Sanford's Income Tax Plans Friday January 23, 2004 10:37pm Does Exploration of Mars Justify the Cost at NASA?  Yes  No  Undecided ___  ABC News 4 Interact  ___    • Signup for eNews Alerts    • ABC News 4 Pulse Poll    • Whats Your Opinion?    • Printable Version    • E-Mail This Story Columbia (AP) - Governor Mark Sanford (website - news) 's claims that the state's income tax rates are the highest in the Southeast are raising questions with economists. During his State of the State speech Wednesday, the Republican governor said his top priority in the Legislature this year is lowering the state's top income tax rate from seven percent to five-point-nine percent. But University of South Carolina economist Doug Woodward says South Carolinians pay close to the US average among states with income taxes. Woodward says North Carolina has a top rate of eight&a-quarter percent until 2006. But Sanford says North Carolina's top rate affects people who make 120,000 dollars a year or more. The governor says that's less than two percent of South Carolina's taxpayers. » Find More Articles Related To This One Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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