As northerners continue to flee blue state tyrannies and ever-increasing financial burdens a South Carolina lawmaker proposed a way for The Palmetto State to take advantage of those voting with their feet with a cover charge he’s dubbed the “Yankee tax.”
Even before COVID tyranny swept the nation separating liberty loving leaders from wannabe dictators, progressive policies were driving people away from Democrat-run strongholds to freer pastures. Since 2010, South Carolina’s population has steadily increased year after year from about 4.6 million to over 5.1 million, an increase of 12 percent compared to the country’s overall uptick of 7.3 percent.
Regardless of demographics, partisan affiliation or the motivation behind migrating to South Carolina, state Senator Stephen Goldfinch (R) wants his state to flourish from the transplants and believes $500 worth of new resident taxes is on the right path toward accomplishing that.
Nicknamed the “Yankee tax,” S. 208 would amend South Carolina’s Code of Laws to allow for the imposition of a onetime fee of $250 for a new driver’s license for those moving from out of state along with a $250 fee for every vehicle being registered.
“I’m not trying to build a wall and this is not a fee against new residents it’s a fee for people to catch up with the rest of us,” Goldfinch said to Fox News Digital as he explained the monies collected would be allocated specifically for community projects like infrastructure and the preservation of parks.
“I think there’s a rational basis for requiring newcomers to catch up with the rest of us and contribute to the roads, bridges, schools and green spaces that we’ve [residents] always contributed to,” he argued as he claimed a far greater uptick in new residents. “Our quality of life has been diminished by the almost 4 million people that have moved here in the last decade. And we anticipate another million people moving here in the next decade. Everybody is concerned about their quality of life.”
“I find it hard to believe that $250 is going to dissuade anybody from coming,” Goldfinch went on as South Carolina sat third on the top 10 list of states growing be percentage last year. Likely not a surprise to anyone paying attention to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) tenure as Florida’s executive, wherein Republicans took a supermajority in the state legislature this past election, The Sunshine State topped the list at 1.9 percent increase from July 1, 2021 to July 1, 2022 followed closely by Idaho at 1.8 percent.
Meanwhile, New York led the charge with fastest-declining states dropping 0.9 percent, followed by Illinois at 0.8 percent. California, which has a population greater than those two states combined rounded out the list at a 0.3 percent decrease.
Coming as little surprise from the states taxing their residents into oblivion New York and California both have proposed bills to tax residents fleeing their tyranny leading Goldfinch to contend, “If you can charge people to leave, I don’t see any reason why you can’t charge somebody to come in the door.”
Should the referendum pass counties will vote on whether or not they wish to adopt the tax during the 2024 general election.
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
- Notoriously ‘moderate’ GOP senator comically blasts MTG for ‘dragging our brand down’ - April 24, 2024
- Chip Roy voices concern over George Soros’ purchase of major radio company, potential impact on Texas - April 24, 2024
- Australian PM calls on social media platforms to ban memes that make fun of him - April 24, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.