Today, amid much self-aggrandizing, Nikki Haley signed into law the new “Point of Sale bill” (H.3713). H.3713 was supposed to correct an issue with legislation from 2006, specifically: Act 388, which reassessed property values (normally upward) at the time the property is purchased. H.3713 was intended to decrease this new assessment by 25%, so as not to burden an already shaky real estate market.

Sounds like a pretty good plan, right?

Well, not so fast there Tea Partiers. Neocon Nikki and her progressive buddies have other plans. The property tax break isn’t going to apply to the average S.C. taxpayer. It’s only for those who can afford to purchase a 2nd (or 3rd) home. That’s right. It doesn’t apply to a primary residence. But that’s OK, We’re all planning on buying an ocean front house at Myrtle Beach and another mountain spread up on the Cliffs of Glassy, right?

The reality is quite different for a significant number of SC residents, who are (or have been) involved in a foreclosure. Additionally, property taxes can be the largest yearly expense for the elderly and those on fixed or limited incomes. That’s closer to the reality of the situation many find themselves in. This leaves many Carolinians wondering if the tax breaks are really going to the right people?

Isn’t Nikki Haley supposed to be a small government, lower taxes, Tea Party movement backed candidate? If so, why not extend the property tax breaks to everyone? Why are the tax breaks extended to only the most affluent citizens in the state? Perhaps it’s because establishment politicians can’t help but grow the size and scope of government, and it doesn’t matter if they’ve previous wrapped themselves in the “Don’t tread on me” flag. Haley’s support of this bill typifies the kind of hypocrisy we see in our state government.

Governor Haley, I’m still waiting on the cuts and the smaller, more efficient, less intrusive government you promised. Remember your gubernatorial campaign? We do. No more record budgets, please.

The fact of the matter is, Haley needs more revenue to feed the bloated and wasteful bureaucratic beast that is our failed S.C. education system. Let’s not forget the debt riddled Transportation Department and the rest of our bloated and broken government. Rather than cut layers of bureaucrats, administrators and paper shufflers. who are just taking up space in our state government, politicians find it easier to do nothing. Well, except maybe to pass out special favors and tax breaks to those who help them get elected. That appears to be exactly what happened with H.3713.

South Carolina Senator Hugh Leatherman made the most ludicrous statement of this entire spectacle, opining..

“I’ve always heard if nobody’s happy, it’s a pretty good compromise,” Leatherman said.

Only by using political pretzel logic can a plan that everyone hates be considered a success. This is what you get when you “compromise” …on your principles.

We can only imagine the great compromise that will be reached when Nikki rolls out her shiny new state sales tax swap. Stay tuned for that debacle.

Sadly, these days, it seems more often than not, the Statehouse political elite appear to be working against the best interest of the citizens in our great state of South Carolina.