Supporters say plan would spur sales of 2nd homes, commercial property The Senate gave key approval Tuesday to some real estate buyers and investors in hopes of giving a boost to property sales. The Senate, after tense negotiations for the first month of the legislative session, approved legislation that would eliminate additional taxes at the point of sale on second homes, businesses and commercial real estate in South Carolina for sales that occur this year. Additionally, those properties … [Read more...]

Call it a stimulus plan, South Carolina style. The state Senate has given key approval to property tax breaks for anyone who buys commercial property or a second home this year. Such properties would get smaller tax breaks if they change hands after 2010. The goal is to encourage commercial property sales. The costs would be borne by local governments and schools, rather than the state. … [Read more...]

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Another troubling audit of the state Employment Security Commission, this time dealing with financial issues, has raised the urgency among lawmakers to change the leadership at the embattled agency. Meanwhile, one of the three commissioners of the agency, saying she is “embarrassed” at what has happened, agreed the agency needs reform. “I am totally embarrassed,” Commissioner Becky Richardson told The Greenville News about the audit. “That was a lack of adequate personnel in place. … [Read more...]

The goal of our voting laws should be twofold: enabling and encouraging as much voter participation as possible, while protecting the integrity of each vote. Remarkably, the South Carolina Senate has overwhelming approved just such a law. Last week, a long-held Republican goal of requiring photo identification at the polls met a strong filibuster by Democrats who said the measure could disenfranchise thousands of voters. Their claim was not mere partisanship; the S.C. Election Commission had … [Read more...]

Possible starting point is proposal from last year The hot-button issue of property tax was pushed again Wednesday as the South Carolina Senate began looking for new ways to address some of the complaints about the Legislature's previous changes to the tax system. A previous compromise plan aimed at improving property taxation fell apart on Jan. 19, the same day it was introduced; the issue was returned to the Senate floor to be resolved through debate and floor amendments. … [Read more...]

How long and how heavily should convicted offenders be punished? That's the question a panel of lawmakers set out to answer nearly two years ago when the Sentencing Reform Commission first began their work. If some lawmakers get their way, some inmates may be leaving prison early while others get longer sentences. "We can not afford to build ourselves out of this problem," said Darlington Sen. Gerald Malloy. … [Read more...]