This week, I was proud to join my fellow House Republicans in passing a budget that’s balanced and fiscally responsible. It cuts taxes, eliminates waste, and focuses on what really matters to South Carolina families.

While Washington keeps wasting money, we do things differently here in South Carolina. We don’t spend more than we have, and we put taxpayers first—not bureaucrats or special interest groups.

The 2025-2026 budget is proof of that commitment. It’s a responsible plan that:

✅ Cuts taxes: $1 billion in direct tax relief, including $800 million in property tax relief & $200 million in income tax cuts.

✅ Invests in education: raises teacher pay, keeps college tuition low, & expands school safety.

✅ Improves infrastructure: $200 million for roads & bridges, $20 million for water & sewer improvements.

✅ Strengthens public safety: supports law enforcement & ensures our communities are safe.

✅ Prepares for the future: invests in workforce development & keeping spending in check.

This budget isn’t about growing government—it’s about making government work better.

The Truth About Our Budget: Facts Matter

During the debate, some misleading claims suggested this budget is “growing government.” That’s simply not true.

What’s really growing is South Carolina itself:

📈 Fastest-growing state in the country.
🏭 $52.8 billion in new capital investments.
👷 121,000 new jobs in the last decade.
💰 83% wage growth over the past 20 years.

Our state is booming because of conservative leadership and responsible budgeting—and we are committed to keeping it that way. We didn’t pass phony tax cuts with reckless spending reductions that would bankrupt our state. Instead, we kept our promise to responsibly return money to hardworking families while funding the core services South Carolinians rely on.

House Majority Leader Davey Hiott made it clear: “South Carolina deserves better than the misleading claims we’re hearing. This budget is conservative, responsible, and keeps our commitment to the taxpayers.”

Delivering on Our Commitment to Tax Relief

For years, we’ve worked to lower taxes, and this budget delivers over $1 billion in tax relief—including income tax cuts and property tax reimbursements:

💵 $200 million in income tax relief—SC families are paying 14% less in income taxes than just three years ago!
🏠 $800 million in property tax relief—keeping homeownership affordable.
📉 $50 billion in tax cuts over the past 30 years—Republicans keep cutting taxes while Washington raises them.

This isn’t just rhetoric—this is real money staying in your pocket.

Smart Investments for a Stronger Future

Beyond tax relief, this budget makes smart, targeted investments to strengthen South Carolina’s economy, infrastructure, and workforce.

🏫 Education & Workforce Development

  • 1,500 teacher salary increase—putting SC above the Southeastern average.
  • $50 million for tuition mitigation—keeping college tuition from increasing for in-state students.
  • $342 million in scholarships—for LIFE, HOPE, Palmetto Fellows, and tuition assistance.

🚔 Public Safety & Law Enforcement

  • $6.3 million for law enforcement pay increases—helping recruit and retain officers.
  • $3.7 million for school resource officers—keeping students safe.
  • $7.5 million for cell phone interdiction at state prisons—cracking down on criminal activity behind bars.

🚧 Infrastructure & Economic Development

  • $200 million for roads and bridges—fixing South Carolina’s most critical infrastructure needs.
  • $20 million for water & sewer projects—ensuring access to clean water in rural areas.
  • $81 million in site readiness funding—bringing more businesses and jobs to South Carolina.

The Truth About the SC Freedom Caucus’ “Alternative Budget” Gimmick

The SC Freedom Caucus wants you to believe they had a responsible budget plan, but the reality is—they didn’t even come close.

At first, they claimed they could eliminate the state income tax entirely by cutting $9 billion from the budget. When they realized that was impossible and reckless, they changed their tune, saying they would present an “alternate budget” and cut $1 billion instead.  Here’s the truth:

👉 No one has ever seen their so-called “alternate budget.” It was never written, never released, and never debated.

👉 When it came time to offer real cuts, they proposed less than $100 million in amendments—not even 10% of what they claimed they would cut.  At one point they literally proposed that we cut $0.10 from one state agency.  Yes…one dime…10 cents.  This gimmick backfired on them.

👉 Their plan would have left a $900 million hole—with no way to pay for it except deep cuts to public safety, education, and infrastructure.

That’s not fiscal conservatism—that’s Washington-style gimmicks and pure recklessness.

They love to talk about cutting taxes, but when we passed over $1 billion in tax relief in this budget, they still voted against it.
They say they want transparency, but they voted against funding ETV, the service that allows South Carolinians to watch what happens in the State House.
They say they support law enforcement, but they voted against funding officer pay raises and school resource officers that keep kids safe.

They’re not interested in solutions—they’re interested in stunts.

Let’s talk about who they’re really working with. This week, SC Freedom Caucus members were caught in the State House lobby huddled with Dan from the American Action Fund—the same out-of-state group that is now attacking House Republican Caucus members with false claims. They are working hand-in-hand to mislead voters because they can’t defend their antics, their failures, or their political games.

And now, they’re trying to smear conservative Republicans with absurd lies—saying this budget funds obscene materials in libraries, DEI training, climate alarmism, and vaccine mandates.

It’s completely false.

House Majority Leader Davey Hiott made it clear on the floor:

“Some folks want to call this budget ‘full of crap.’ Well, law enforcement is not crap to me. Our school teachers are not crap to me. Our disabled and special needs kids are not crap to me. Our children in DSS custody are not crap to me. Our students in public schools are not crap to me. Our blind and disabled kids are not crap to me. The hardworking taxpayers of South Carolina are not crap to me.”

House Republican Caucus members aren’t here for political theater—we’re here to govern responsibly. I proudly voted for a balanced, conservative budget that delivers tax relief, invests in priorities that matter, and ensures that South Carolina remains strong.

The SC Freedom Caucus can keep playing games, but we’re here to deliver results.

Final Thoughts: A Budget South Carolinians Can Be Proud Of

This budget delivers real, conservative results. It provides tax relief, makes smart investments, and keeps spending in check. I’m proud of what we accomplished this week, and I’ll keep fighting for South Carolina’s hardworking families, small businesses, and future generations.