The State Budget, Here’s What it Means for You!
Last week, the South Carolina General Assembly passed the 2026–27 state budget conference report and sent it to the Governor.
Getting to this point was not easy. The House and Senate had real disagreements over portions of the budget. But rather than allow those disagreements to hold up tax relief, teacher pay raises, road funding, public safety investments and other important priorities, we stayed at the table, worked through our differences and found a responsible path forward. (Visit www.NathansNews.com to read about how one Senator single-handedly blocking community investments (again) to every county in the state)!
The result is a budget that responsibly funds our state’s needs while putting South Carolinians first.
Here are some of the biggest ways this budget will impact you, your family and your community.
More of Your Money Stays in Your Pocket
Most importantly, this budget provides $422 million in new tax relief for South Carolinians.
● $325 million in income tax relief, reducing the top state income tax rate from 6% to 5.21%, as part of a responsible, phased approach that continues moving South Carolina toward ultimately eliminating the state income tax over time
● $81 million for the Homestead Exemption, increasing the amount of a home’s value that eligible seniors can exempt from property taxes to $75,000, helping lower their property tax bills.
● $16 million in additional tax credits and exemptions
Lowering the income tax rate allows South Carolinians to keep more of their hard-earned money in every paycheck. For eligible homeowners, increasing the Homestead Exemption shields an additional $25,000 of a home’s value from property taxes, helping lower costs for seniors and others who qualify. At a time when families are paying more for everyday necessities, returning more of taxpayers’ own money to their pockets is one of the most important things we can do.
Improving the Roads You Drive Every Day
The budget provides $344 million for roads and bridges through SCDOT and County Transportation Committees.
This funding will help repair pavement, improve bridges, address congestion and move needed projects forward across the state.
As South Carolina continues to grow, these investments help make the daily drive to work, school and home safer and more reliable while strengthening the infrastructure our economy depends on.
Investing in Teachers and Students
The budget raises South Carolina’s minimum starting teacher salary to $50,500 and adds another $2,000 to the teacher minimum salary schedule, helping our state recruit strong educators and keep experienced teachers in the classroom.
It also provides:
● $75 million for rural and charter school capital needs
● $38.3 million for K–12 instructional materials
● $30 million for school buses
● $20 million for school safety grants
● $23.2 million for the Education Scholarship Trust Fund program
Together, these investments mean safer schools, better classroom resources, more reliable transportation and greater educational opportunities for South Carolina families.
Making College and Career Training More Affordable
As Chairman of the House Ways and Means Higher Education Subcommittee, I’m pleased to again with our state’s institutionss to freeze in-state tuition and fully fund South Carolina’s major lottery scholarship programs, helping families manage the cost of higher education.
It also provides:
● $250 million for capital projects at public universities and technical colleges
● $95 million for SC WINS tuition assistance
● $15 million for readySC job training
These investments help South Carolinians earn degrees, credentials and skills for in-demand careers while helping our businesses build the workforce they need to compete and create jobs here at home.
Supporting Law Enforcement and First Responders
The budget fully funds state law enforcement step increases, helping agencies recruit and retain experienced officers.
It also provides $24.5 million to expand the Palmetto 800 statewide first responder communications system, strengthening the network law enforcement, firefighters and emergency personnel rely on to communicate during emergencies.
That means better coordination and a stronger response when every second matters.
Supporting Essential Health and Human Services
The budget includes:
● $207 million for Health and Human Services funding requirements
● $46 million for Home and Community-Based Services
● $50.7 million to improve mental health and developmental disability services
● $34 million for DSS to meet new federal SNAP matching requirements
These investments help South Carolina meet its obligations while strengthening services for seniors, people with disabilities and families who need support closer to home.
A Responsible Budget for South Carolina
This budget reflects the priorities we hear about from South Carolinians every day: keeping taxes low, supporting our schools, improving our roads, backing law enforcement and making smart investments in our growing state.
Just as importantly, we did it while maintaining a balanced budget and being responsible with taxpayer dollars.
There is always more work to do, but this budget moves South Carolina forward on some of the issues that matter most to families and communities across our state.
I am proud of what we were able to accomplish and will continue working to make sure South Carolina remains a great place to live, work, raise a family and build a future.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to represent you and to keep you informed about the work being done in Columbia. I welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out if you have any questions or would like more information on these or other issues before the General Assembly.
Hopefully you received my August Community Update Email. For years, I’ve sent out monthly updates to keep you informed of what’s going on at the State House and right here in our community. If you aren’t on the distribution list, please email me at [email protected] and ask me to add you so you’ll receive September’s Update!
