- 1. AN ANALYSIS IN SUPPORT OFCOMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM Is our
State Broke? Or is ourSystemBroken? Olde English & Western
Piedmont Consortia
2.
- With budget cut after budget cut and the state and country in
the midst of a recession, these words are often uttered.
- But South Carolina has real needs and citizens continue to
expect basic services such as education, safety, and
healthcare.
But the State of South Carolina Has No Money? Olde English &
Western Piedmont Consortia 3. But the State of S.C. Has No
Money?
- Since 1953, South Carolina experienced negative revenue growth
only 2 times
- But we are now entering our third year of negative revenue
growth (2009-10)
- The S.C. Board of Economic Advisors (BEA) hascut revenue
estimates 7 times in the last 9 months!
- Just over the last year, thestate of South Carolina has lost
over $1.3 billionin revenueleading to multiple budget cuts!
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 4. What Has
Happened to S.C. Revenue? BEA to the TRAC, Dr. Bill Gillespie,
September 30, 2009
- Since 2006, S.C. has cut 1/5 of the state budget(19% cut)
- S.C. now relies on the Sales (47%) and Personal Income (40%)
Taxes for a total of 87% of State Revenue
- S.C. Sales Tax Revenue has decreased (even though weve
increased the tax twice since 1984) due to:
-
- Increased numbers of Sales Tax Exemptions
-
- S.C. economy shifts from products to services (few are
taxed)
-
- Shift of sales to Internet (little-to-no S.C. taxation)
-
-
- NC law increases internet sales tax collection (est. $500
million taxes)
- Personal Income Tax Collections not kept up w/ growth
- All Remaining(non-Sales/Personal Income) : only 13-15%
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 5. How is the
States Tax System set up to support the delivery of essential
services? S.C. Tax Revenue and the State Budget Olde English &
Western Piedmont Consortia 6.
- SCs Overall State/Local Tax Burden:
- Estimated at 8.8% of income
- (below the national average of 9.7%)
Our Taxes here in South Carolinaare just too high ! Olde English
& Western Piedmont Consortia 7. Are South Carolina Taxes Too
High? The Tax Foundation , non-profit 501-c-3 since
1937:www.taxfoundation.org
- Cigarette Tax (7cents): 50 th
-
- NC raised 10-cents to 45-cents
- Gas Tax:46 th(1987 last increase)
- Indiv. Property Tax:34 th
- Industrial/Commercial Property Taxes:7 th
- Business Climate Tax:25 th
-
- Compares 5 areas: corporate taxes; sales taxes; unemployment
insurance taxes; indiv. income taxes; & taxes on property
- Corporate Income Tax:40 th
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 8. South Carolina
Taxes Versus the Nation Olde English & Western Piedmont
Consortia 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 9.
- Permanent Tax Cuts have Eroded state Revenue Stream
- (size of reduced state revenue since 2006)
- Property Tax Relief for Homeowners (sales swap):$585
million
- Total Elimination of the States Grocery Tax:$354 million
- Elimination of S.C.s bottom income tax bracket:$86 million
- Reduction of tax on small businesses (7% to 5%):$129
million
- * Source:State Budget Outlookpresentation by SC Sen.
Finance(Mike Shealy & Craig Parks)
S.C. is Collecting 22% Less($1.5 billion)in Tax Revenue than in
2006.Why? Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 10. The
Three Legged Stool
- South Carolinas Tax Structure prior to 2007
- What Do We Tax in South Carolina?
-
- In 2007, S.C. passed Act 388 which eliminated owner-occupied
property taxes (for schools) in exchange for a 1-cent state sales
increase.
-
- Prior to this, our states tax structure was praised by
economists because it was balanced with three major sources of
revenue: sales, income and property taxes.This three legged stool
had served our state well for decades.
-
- Today, S.C. relies mostly on Income & Sales Taxes to Fund
most of its state budget largely atwo-legged stool !
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 11. What Did Act
388 do to S.C.s Tax System?
- Act 388 shifted the tax burdenfrom stable revenue
source(owner-occupied property)to aless reliable& more volatile
source(sales).With sales down 8-10% in the current recession, so is
state sales tax revenue
- Since the General Assembly (G.A.) has promised to make up any
lost 388 tax swap (sales tax) revenue, theG.A. has been forced to
budget $50 million(2008-09) & $100 million(09-10) to reimburse
school districts.
- 388shifted the local burdenof funding public schools from
homeownersto S.C. businesses (only 1 left!)
- 388 created a tax incentive for people from NC to move to SC,
work & pay NC taxes, & bring children to schools
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 12. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- South Carolinas State Sales tax is 6%. The state raises $2.5
billion annually through this tax.
- By allowing 80 exemptions to this sales tax,the state exempts
more ($2.7 billion) annually than it actually collects ($2.5)
- S.C. could eliminate 95% of exemptions, cut the sales tax in (6
to 3-cents),and collect the exact same revenue($2.5 billion)
- S.C. taxpayers (w/ no deductions) are subsidizingthose who
enjoy these exemptions!
- This naturally begs the question: in South Carolinawhat do we
actually tax ?{Cost of exemption to state in parenthesis.}
- *Source: South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors Sales &
Use Tax Exemptions: Fiscal Year 2008-09 (
http://www.bcb.sc.gov/BCB/bea/exemptions.pdf ). Note: The examples
below are just some of the 80+ exemptions to the South Carolina
state sales tax. See link for more info.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 13. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- SC has a Vehicle Tax Exemption of a $300 cap on sales tax
- We collect $300 on the sale of a used 2006 - $5,000 Hyundai. We
collect $300 on a $385,000 - 2009 Lamborghini Roadster $22,800
exemption.{$152 mill}
- We collect $300 on a $36,000 BMW.N.C. collects $1,080 &
Georgia collects $2,520 on the same vehicle.
- We collect $300 on the sale of a $5,000 - 15 foot Sylvan
Smokercraft Fishing Boat. We collect $300 on a used 1982 126 foot
$6.5 million Feadship Yacht a $389,700 exemption.{$5 million}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 14. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect 90 cents (6%) sales tax on a $15 model airplane, but
we cap the tax on a million dollar leer jet at $300 - a $59,700 tax
exemption.{$1.2 million}
- We collect $300 on the sale of a 1989 - $5,000 Chieftain
Winnebago. We collect $300 on a 2007 - $130,000 Coach House
Platinum Recreational Vehicle a $7,500 exemption.{$7.9
million}
- We collect $300 on the sale of a 1973 - $5,000 Singlewide (2
BR/1Ba/480 sq ft) Manufactured Home. We collect $300 on a 2001 -
$139,500 Doublewide Commander Manufactured Home (4 BR/2Ba/2432 sq
ft) which meets certain energy efficiency standards a $8,070
exemption.{$26.6 million}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 15. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect taxes on one-half of the proceeds from the sale of a
modular home. We collect no taxes on the other half?{$1.9
million}
- We collect $4.14 on the sale of a Panasonic KXTS 2-line corded
phone at Wal-Mart. We collect nothing on the sale of charges for
colored telephones and retractable cords obtained through a
telephone company.{total customer charges exemptions: $22.8
million}
- We collect $18 in taxes for the sale of a Classic Lionel Train
Set. We collect no taxes on the sale of a $300,000 EMD 1750 HP GP-9
Locomotive.{$352,710}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 16. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect 18 cents on a $3 spool of string used to fly a kite.
We collect nothing on the sale of a spool of twine used to deliver
newspapers.{total containers exemption: $600,000}
- We collect 6 cents on a $1 pack of college rule paper. We
collect nothing on the sale of newsprint paper sold to
newspapers.{$5 million}
- We collect 42 cents on the sale of $7 College Football Preview
Magazines. We collect nothing on the sale ofThe Statenewspaper.{$7
million}
- We collect taxes on the supplies and equipment bought by
coin-operated Laundromats. We collect no taxes on the sales of
supplies and equipment bought by laundries and dry-cleaners.{total
cleaner exemptions: $3.3 million}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 17. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- Banks charge customers $2 for use of an automated teller
machine not affiliated with the persons bank. The state collects
nothing for the transaction.{$5 million}
- We collect 14 cents tax on the dry cleaning of shirt. We
collect nothing on the dry cleaning for ships involved in
intercoastal trade.{total vessel bunkering exemptions: $1.5
million}
- We collect $144 on the sale of the $2,400 Giles Dairy Deluxe
Milking Machine. We collect nothing on the pasteurizing machines
utilized once the cow is milked.
- We collect taxes on gloves used by farmers in cleaning out
chicken cage houses. We collect nothing on the sale of automatic
clean-out systems for cage houses.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 18. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect 7 cents a pack (lowest in nation) in cigarette
taxes. We collect nothing in the sale of tobacco curers and/or
transporters.
- We collect $35 on the sale of a 9-ft G-3 Jon Boat. We collect
nothing on a $15 million New Hopper 560-ft Barge.{$169,546}
- We collect taxes on the broadcasting tower for an FM Radio
Station. We collect no taxes on the broadcasting tower for an AM
Station.
- We collect taxes on a Dinner Cruise in Charleston. We collect
no taxes on a vacation time-share near the Battery in downtown
Charleston.{$5.3 million}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 19. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect 18 cents on a Blockbuster video/DVD movie rental. We
collect nothing on the rental of a movie by a theater.{$2.8}
- We collect $60 in taxes on the sale of new asphalt for your
driveway. We collect nothing for the sale of asphalt products
transported and consumed out of South Carolina.{$614,000}
- We collect sales taxes on concession items sold at the State
Fair. We collect no taxes on concession sales at the annual
RidgewayPig on the RidgeFestival.{$475,000}
- We collect taxes on the sale of a new chassis for the
rebuilding of a C-10 Chevy. We collect no taxes on the chassis sold
to international shipping lines.{$550,000}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 20. What Do We Tax
in South Carolina?
- We collect $12 in taxes on the sale of a carburetor for the
engine of a Chevrolet Nova. We collect no taxes on the sale of
parts/supplies used in repairing commercial air
carriers.{$562,000}
- We collect taxes on the sales of Carolina and Clemson football
tickets. We collect no taxes on lottery tickets.{$47.6
million}
- We collect taxes on 30% of the gross proceeds of the rental of
a portable toilet. We collect no taxes on the other 70% of the
toilet.{$332,976}
- We collect taxes on a familys outing to Chuck-E-Cheese. We
collect no taxes on an amusement park ride (or anything connected
building/repairing rides).{$3.9 million}
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 21.
- S.C. taxes only 35(out of the possible 170)services!
- This is significantly less than in other states.
- New growth items:not taxed
- Traditional SC products:taxed, no growth
Do We Tax Servicesin South Carolina? Olde English & Western
Piedmont Consortia 22.
- Our current system of taxation is!
So How Did We Get in This Mess? Olde English & Western
Piedmont Consortia 23. Why Do We Need Tax Reform?
- Our current system of taxation is ahodgepodgethat has evolved
from tax cuts and tax shifts over the past 20 yearsthat has left
the state with unstable and unreliable revenue sources .
- We have cut tax sources during the good years leaving us with
insufficient resources during the down cycles.
- We have responded to the pressure of special interest groups
(mainly wealthy homeowners) to eliminate tax on property, a very
stable source of revenue, and shifted that burden to sales tax, a
very unstable source of revenue.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 24. Why Do We Need
Tax Reform?
- Our current system does not support the development of the
infrastructure needed for the successful future operation of our
state.It only supports the states needs during the boom years.
- Our current system encourages the introduction of piecemeal
proposals to patch the broken system:
-
- Lower income tax levels or eliminate income tax to be replaced
by higher sales tax
-
- Eliminate the corporate income tax (already one of the lowest
in America SC is 45 th ) to encourage corporate investment.
- We tax some goods and do not tax others without any apparent
reason.
- We encourage smoking with one of the lowest cigarette taxes in
America.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 25. Why Do We Need
Tax Reform?
- We cap the tax on cars at the same level as when passed in
1984.
- Some of our taxes are too high and some are too low while our
overall burden ranks us at 37 thwith 50 thbeing lowest.
- Public Educations Base student cost has been funded at the
appropriate level only 8 out of 30+ years.
- Act 388 has further distorted an already out of whack system by
shifting tax burden from homeowner to business.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 26.
- What are the Fundamental Criteria
So What Can We Do to Change our System & Get Out of This
Mess? Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 27. Fundamental
Criteria of Tax Structure
- It must becompetitive .It cannot be viewed as one that
discourages industries and people from coming to our state, living
in our state, expanding business in our state, and investing in our
state.
- It must beadequate.It must support improvement of SCs economic
foundations:
-
-
- Educational and workforce quality systems
-
-
- Vibrant and growing communities
- It must beequitable both horizontally and vertically .It must
be perceived as fair.No one segment should have advantage at the
expense of others.(Palmetto Institute)
- The best approach is to have abroad tax base with the lowest
possible tax rates.This is not the way we are currently
headed.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 28. Fiscally
Sustainable Revenue System
- A fiscally sustainable revenue system is a structure of revenue
streams, spending obligations, and reserve funds that allow
government to maintain an acceptable level of public services over
the long term and through fluctuations in economic activity.
- A fiscally sustainable state revenue system will:
-
- Raise adequate revenue to pay desired services
-
- Raise revenue from a mix of sources while keeping tax rates
low
-
- Increase revenue at a rate no less than population growth plus
inflation
-
- Be prepared for unanticipated spending needs and revenue
shortfalls
-
- Saltzman & Ulbrich, Strom Thurmond Institute
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 29.
- On June 24, 2009, the leaders of the General Assembly passed
S.12 creating the
- South Carolina Tax Realignment Commission ,
So What is Our General Assembly Doing to Fix it? Olde English
& Western Piedmont Consortia 30. What IS this TRAC
Commission?
- TRAC is a temporary & independent commission comprised of
non-legislators. It is created to assess the effectiveness of the
current tax structure and make recommended changes to the General
Assemblyby March 15, 2010 (dissolve on Jan. 1, 2011).
-
- Ken Wingate (CPA, JD Gov. Sanford) * Jack Shuler (Speaker
Harrell)
-
- Brian Moody (CPA Gov. Sanford) * Bob Steelman (Chairman
Cooper)
-
- Don Weaver (Sen. McConnell) * Kenneth Cosgrove (Chair
Cooper)
-
- Burnet Maybank, (JD - Sen. Leatherman) * Ray N. Stevens (DOR
Director)
-
- Ben Kochenower (CPA Sen. Peeler) * (Staff: Craig Parks, Sen.
Finance)
-
- Charles S. Way, Jr. (Sen. Land)
-
- Jimmy Addison (Speaker Harrell)
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 31.
- Support the goal of Tax Reform & the work of TRAC.
- Call your local Representatives & Senators NOW thanking
them for passing S.12 (TRAC) & encouraging them to vote to
support TRACs recommendations.
- Begin sharing (holding meetings and/or sharing at existing
meetings)sharing the need for tax reform in South Carolina &
the structure for fundamental change
- Make your voice heard(letter to editor, call/email, etc)
- Ask candidates for office how they plan to vote: TRAC
So What Should I do about it? How Can I Make A Difference? Olde
English & Western Piedmont Consortia 32. What Questions Should
I Be Asking?
- (Share your belief that Tax Reform should be a top
priority)
- How important is tax reform?Where does it rank on your
priorities?
- The General Assembly (G.A.) should be thanked for creating
TRACIs the G.A. just as committed to passing TRAC recommendations
?
- Some say this is too big to ever pass. If so, why appoint a
highly qualified commission, have these experts spend 6 months of
their time & our tax dollars& then not pass their
recommendations?
- We realize that March 15 th(preliminary TRAC report) is after
the state budget development.But isnt Jan. 1, 2010 (right after big
elections) the perfect time for the G.A. to pass something
bold?
- Even if the TRAC report isnt perfect, can we still support it
if it gets us 10-20 yards further down the football field to our
goal?
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia 33. Who can I
contact for more information?
-
- www.oldeenglishconsortium.org(Click on Board of Directors for
hand-outs, revised regularly)
-
- 803-817-6637 or[email_address]
- Western Piedmont Consortium
-
- www.sc-wpec.org(hand-outs revised regularly)
-
- 864-223-9127 or[email_address]
-
- Please feel free to contact Dr. Mike Fanning (OEC) and/or Dr.
Ray Wilson (WPEC) if you would like further information or if you
would like for someone to come and speak re: Tax Reform with a
group in your region.
-
- Please use this information in any way you see fit. They are
yours to copy, adapt, & use on your own. Help us get the word
out. We want our communities, legislators, and candidates to hear
from as many people as possible about this important issue:
Comprehensive Tax Reform.
Olde English & Western Piedmont Consortia