SC senators begin roads debate as session draws to a close

State senators began debating a proposal to repair the state’s crumbling roads Wednesday with only four working days left in the legislative session.

However, passage of a proposal this year in the Senate – where at least three factions have uncompromising positions – gets less likely with each day that passes.

Republicans, divided between mainstream party members and members of the libertarian-leaning William Wallace Caucus, and Democrats – the Senate’s minority party – all want different outcomes.

Some Republicans have proposed increasing the state’s gas tax by 12 cents a gallon over three years and cutting the state’s income tax, now capped at 7 percent, by 1 percentage point over five years.

But some Democrats oppose the income tax cut. They argue low-income and retired South Carolinians, who do not make enough to pay income taxes, will have to pay higher gas taxes but will not get any benefit from the income tax cut, which would save the wealthiest South Carolinians $60,000 a year.

Meanwhile, libertarian-leaning senators oppose any tax increase.

A three-day filibuster by libertarian state Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, took a detour Wednesday, when Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, R-Cherokee, maneuvered so senators could pass a proposal to ban abortions at 20 weeks and begin the roads debate.

“My constituents want something done to improve their roads and bridges,” Peeler said in a statement. “The business community wants something done with their roads and bridges. ... I have listened, and I am doing everything I can to lead the Senate to a thorough debate of all of our options.”

However, Davis could continue his filibuster Thursday, running the clock out on the session before the Senate can send a roads plan back to the House, which passed a proposal in April.

Lawmakers indicated Wednesday they will return to Columbia next month to handle unfinished business.

The session is scheduled to end June 4. But lawmakers have yet to pass a state budget.

The S.C. House voted Wednesday for lawmakers to return to Columbia June 16-18.

During that three-day period, lawmakers would be able to take up the budget, budget-related bills and bills that have passed both the House and Senate. Lawmakers also could take up budget vetoes by Gov. Nikki Haley.

The House proposal also leaves the door open in case legislators do not pass a budget by July 1, the start of the state’s fiscal year. If that happens, lawmakers could pass a resolution to fund state government at current levels until a budget passes.

The proposal for legislators to return to Columbia requires approval by the Senate.

This story was originally published May 27, 2015 at 2:20 PM with the headline "SC senators begin roads debate as session draws to a close."