South Carolina business leaders say it’s time for a tax change

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce plans to ask lawmakers for comprehensive tax reform.  State Chamber President and C.E.O Otis Rawl is traveling the state to address the tax issue.

During a stop at WBTW News13 in Myrtle Beach, Rawl said the state needs a balanced system between income, property, and sales taxes.  “We should hopefully develop a broader based tax system with lower rates that look at stream lining the process, making it easier for people to file and at the same time being cognizant of the fact of how do we deliver the revenue to provide the services that the people want at the local level.”

Rawl said the goal is recruiting and maintaining investments in South Carolina.  He said the consequences of the state’s piecemealed tax system are starting to show, especially since the economy has taken a down turn.  “Commercial businesses, your mom and pops, already have the 7th highest property taxes in the nation, and from an industrial stand point we’ve got the highest, so we cannot stand a whole lot more shift if we’re going to continue to be competitive and be able to recruit industry and businesses, or be able to maintain the businesses we have in the state.”

Of course, without businesses and industries, there are no jobs. Rawl said the chamber will get input from local government, academia, and the business community to develop a broader based tax system. It’s expected the whole process to take about two years.

Immediately, Rawl said the state Chamber will ask for spending caps on local government. Plus, set up a system that would give voters a say when it comes to raising certain taxes.