COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A bill eliminating two-thirds of sales tax exemptions worth $260 million a year is up for debate in a South Carolina House panel.
The measure by House Republicans leaves intact exemptions on panel.
The measure by House Republicans leaves intact exemptions on necessities such as groceries, water service, electricity and medicine. Landrum Rep. Tommy Stringer says removing those would hurt the typical taxpayer.
Sales taxes would be added to items such as portable toilets, textbooks, lottery tickets and newspapers. The bill would lower the overall sales tax by an estimated half of a penny.
The bill also doesn't change the $300 maximum sales tax on vehicles, campers, boats and airplanes. Removing the limit from vehicles alone would generate more than $150 million annually for the state. Stringer says House Republicans decided to postpone dealing with those limits.
