A few SC senators regret $1B tax rebate during budget debate

By Jeffrey Collins

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)– Some Republicans in the South Carolina Senate have a little remorse over taking $1 billion out of the state budget to give income taxpayers rebates. The senators took control of the chamber’s $12.6 billion budget debate Wednesday. They unsuccessfully pushed to have that money spent instead on road improvements, building rural schools, providing a $1,500 bonus to teachers, a COVID-19 bonus to state employees or other options. Republican Sen. Stephen Goldfinch of Murrells Inlet says the rebate put senators in a box. The House nearly $14 billion budget has no rebate and a $600 million tax cut, while the Senate budget has a $1 billion rebate and $1 billion tax cut.