Monday letters: No-taxes pledge protects voters

Although my friend associate editor Cindy Ross Scoppe may not like our no-new-tax pledge (“Defeat of the pledgers? Maybe not, but let’s work on that,” Nov. 8), it is very clear here in South Carolina that voters do. Of the 40 pledge signers on our website, 95 percent were reelected in their last election cycle, including Gov. Nikki Haley.

Our pledge serves as a guarantee to voters that those candidates who proclaim to be conservative on fiscal matters and taxes actually remain conservative throughout their term. Also, our tax pledge gives candidates the flexibility to vote for some increased taxes, as long as there is an equal or greater decrease in some other tax or fee. This prevents the unchecked growth of government in general, which is why our nation is in the fiscal dilemma it’s in.

Our pledge is no different than any other advocacy group that promotes pledges in education or environmental issues: It’s just a tool for voters to rely on when choosing a candidate.