South Carolina Lawmakers Cut Taxes, Fret Over Health Care Cuts

On Thursday, the state House of Representatives tried to protect health care programs from massive budget cuts. Among other reductions, the House Ways and Means Committee eliminated the $2.4 million that South Carolina contributes to the program that provides AIDS drug treatments to about 2,055 low-income patients each month. Rep. Tracy Edge, who writes the health care budget, was hoping a six-month extension of federal Medicaid funding would be approved before the budget debate so he could spare some of the cuts. "I'm a lot more confident today," he said. "A week ago, I wasn't sure." The House also passed, by a 105-9 vote, a measure to phase out the state's corporate income tax over 10 years in the hope of spurring economic growth. Currently, the 5 percent corporate income tax accounts for the third-largest portion of total state revenues, after sales taxes and individual income taxes.

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