I’ll never forget a conversation I had years ago with a prominent
elected official after telling him that my No. 1 goal as S.C. House
majority leader was to reform our state’s unfair, antiquated tax
code.
“Rick,” he explained to me. “You don’t want to lead the charge on
an issue that complicated. Its way too difficult to describe to
people and besides, when you lead the charge, everybody will take
shots at you.”
I was reminded of that advice the other day while reading Cindi
Ross Scoppe’s column (“What happens when ‘Quinn-Sheheen’ morphs into
‘Quinn for Treasurer,’” Sept. 29). While I’m grateful for this
opportunity to spell out my proposals to provide meaningful property
tax relief to South Carolina families and small businesses, I’m even
more excited about continuing a long-overdue discussion about the
kind of comprehensive tax reform our state desperately needs if it
is to become more economically competitive.
As Gov. Mark Sanford likes to say, we can’t afford to continue
“tinkering around the edges” of our current tax system if we expect
South Carolina to succeed in advancing economic growth, creating new
jobs, securing higher income levels and building a better quality of
life for future generations.
That’s why I’m focusing my campaign for state treasurer on the
issue of tax reform. As I travel around the state, I’ll be talking
with people about the same comprehensive, conservative-minded
overhaul of our current tax code that was at the heart of the plan
my friend Vince Sheheen and I offered two years ago.
There are a number of ways to offset the cost of property tax
relief. Raising the sales tax is one way (which is what the
Quinn-Sheheen plan called for). Our state also provides $2.5 billion
in sales tax exemptions — many of which go to special interests.
Restructuring those exemptions could provide up to $700 million in
direct tax relief to homeowners and small businesses. To me, that’s
a much wiser investment in our state’s economy.
Ms. Scoppe trivialized the motives of the family who hosted my
announcement, saying my campaign “trotted out the picture perfect
family” just to make a point. Well, the Dillards are no different
from any other South Carolina family struggling under the weight of
the second-highest property tax burden in the entire Southeast, a
burden that is currently growing at twice the rate of inflation. I
believe the plight of the Dillards — and every South Carolina family
making difficult budget decisions these days as a result of
skyrocketing property taxes — should be taken seriously.
Tax and spending caps also were included in the Quinn-Sheheen
plan (as they should have been). There is no good reason for
government to grow faster than our ability to pay the bills.
The Quinn-Sheheen plan and the message of my campaign for state
treasurer have another important thing in common — addressing
inequity in the way we fund public education. Both propose
eliminating property taxes as the method of choice for funding
public education, substituting instead a fairer system that utilizes
sales taxes, tourist revenues and other savings. The result would be
more dollars into our classrooms, higher teacher pay and a new
statewide standard for per pupil funding.
That kind of comprehensive tax reform had significant support in
the General Assembly. In fact, 58 House members joined me in
sponsoring the measure. Based on that initiative, today we see a
growing momentum for meaningful reform.
The larger point Ms. Scoppe seems to have missed is this: Overall
tax relief, especially property tax relief, was always a key part of
the Quinn-Sheheen plan. And it is also central to my campaign for
treasurer. Nothing has “morphed” or changed.
Whatever tax proposals make their way out of the legislative
process in 2006, overall tax relief must be the end result. I will
continue my fight to make fundamental tax reform a reality for South
Carolina families and small businesses.
For our next treasurer, we need a leader committed to tax relief
and to comprehensive, structural reform. We need a state treasurer
who’s prepared to fight for taxpayers. If I’m elected, you can count
on me being that person — no matter what shots come my way.
Mr. Quinn is a Republican candidate for state treasurer. He
served as S.C. House majority leader from 1999 to 2004.
