Executive Summary Given the focus on the disastrous launch of the Obamacare insurance Exchanges in 2013, many people […]

How much does Medicaid really cost in SC?

The theme is all too familiar—Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards and rules continue to drive electricity costs higher and higher.

Confused about the revised Education Credit for Exceptional Needs Children? We have the answers!

As states like Michigan and Wisconsin discover the secret sauce of right-to-work, South Carolina stands to lose that current competitive advantage. In the most recent release of the Rich States, Poor States Economic Competitiveness Index, while our current performance puts us at #20, our outlook has fallen to #32, largely based on our levels of debt and uncompetitive tax structure.

Comprehensive tax reform is the single greatest next step we could take to ensure a bright outlook for South Carolina’s future. Our top marginal personal income tax rate is the highest in the Southeast. And while our corporate tax rate of 5% is one of the lowest in the nation, we exempt more corporate income than we collect, with the majority of credits accruing to larger, newer companies rather than smaller, older in-state companies. This imbalance cannot be sustained indefinitely and is not a long-term strategy for economic competitiveness.

This report outlines key features of the tax system currently in place in South Carolina and is organized by key issues affecting the impact of our various forms of taxes on the economy.

Finding the best education fit for your child can be a daunting task.

In this catalog, you’ll read the stories of families just like yours who share their journey to find the perfect place for their child. You’ll also find links to resources to learn more about each option.

Please take a minute to share this information with families you know. Knowledge is power, and working together, we can Empower Opportunity for students in every corner of the Palmetto State.

And please take a minute to visit our dedicated Empower Opportunity website at www.mysceducation.org.

Late in 2014, headlines heralded the news that America’s official unemployment rate had fallen below 6% for the first time since 2008. Surely, a sign that we’re on the path to recovery, right? A closer look says “not so fast.” From 2008 to the most complete numbers we have in 2013, South Carolina’s labor participation has seen a uniform, steady decline across gender and race, aside from a 2012-2013 rebound among Hispanic workers.

What would offshore energy exploration mean for South Carolina in terms of potential revenue, economic development and jobs? What would it mean for our tourism industry and beautiful coast? These questions and more are explored in our groundbreaking report SC’S Offshore Opportunity: Economic & Environmental Impacts of Atlantic Energy Exploration. Learn more at www.OffshoreOpportunity.com.

Medicaid expansion puts the truly vulnerable at greater risk. Expansion was “paid for” by cutting $716 billion from seniors’ Medicare. And in states that have expanded Medicaid, costs are growing faster than revenue, siphoning resources away from education, infrastructure and public safety. It is also driving UP use of emergency rooms as there are proportionally fewer Medicaid providers to go around. Our handy summary lays out 10 key reasons why Medicaid expansion is “fool’s gold” – not “free money” – as proponents say.

It seems America is having to learn the hard way about the economic law of scarcity and why it matters in the politics of healthcare.

More people on the rolls…and an ever-growing budget line item

We are glad to report that one of Palmetto Promise Institute’s top priorities for the 2017-2018 legislative session is still in play.

While the unemployment rate is important, it does not paint a very full picture of the economy.

Palmetto Promise Institute reports from the State House where the 2017 legislative session came to a close this week.

One in nine South Carolina residents are served by the Palmetto State’s public pension plans. The woefully underfunded […]

Euphoria from the right over the ideological “wins” in the bill and blanket criticism from the left are both premature.

How can we be compassionately responsive to the needs of low-to-middle income South Carolinians in regards to housing affordability?

As legislators prepare to return to their districts, here’s what we are watching in the last week of session.

Last March, The Obama Administration rejected offshore opportunity. Instead of allowing seismic mapping and possible energy production along […]

Last March, The Obama Administration rejected offshore opportunity. Instead of allowing seismic mapping and possible energy production along […]

For the sake of the states’ budgets and competitive federalism, it’s time for Congress and the states to say “no more” to sea-monster-sized, bureaucratic mandates.

When it comes to the Left’s ideas on environmental regulations and renewable energy, the sky is the limit.