South Carolina Statehouse Blog

Columbia, S.C- Last year, Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler’s “Jumpstart Plan” passed unanimously in the S.C. State Senate. During a recessionary period, especially one in which South Carolina is among the top three hardest-hit states, it looked like the leadership in the General Assembly was finally going to help unemployed workers and small business, the backbone of our state’s economy.

Unfortunately, optimism for small business and unemployed working families was misplaced when the Jumpstart Plan moved to the House last year. Under Peeler’s plan any employer who hires an unemployed South Carolinian will receive a $100 per month tax credit for each employee hired beginning July 1, 2009. The tax credit is available for 24 months, a maximum of $2,400 per employee over two years.

One would think that such a common sense plan would get serious consideration in committee. However, the bill isn’t flying through the General Assembly as expected.

The plan passed the Senate with a unanimous vote. It has been stuck in the House since last year, but a lot of bills have been held up, only to receive quick passage this year. This bill has not been among them. Instead of its merits being seriously debated in subcommittee, it was killed after only 30 seconds of debate.

That’s right. A jobs plan that passed unanimously in the Senate never even received consideration in the House before being killed. This comes on the heels of the House last week completely eliminating the state’s Corporate Income Tax. This is an insult to small business owners and unemployed families across the state.

South Carolina needs people working to make sure that small businesses in Cheraw, Effingham, Hickory Grove and other parts of our state are ready to lead the recovery. That would have been easier if the House hadn’t killed the Jumpstart Plan. Instead, they decided to give the big boys of corporate America a tax break while not even considering one for small business owners.

“We know what creates jobs and it isn’t government” Senator Peeler said. “Conservative ideas, fewer taxes and less government is what our economy needs. We need to get government out of the way of our small business owners so they can put South Carolina back to work. I’d ask the House to pass the bill, but at this point, I just ask that they give unemployed families the courtesy of looking at what these tax cuts can do.”