Recent editorials from South Carolina newspapers:
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Aug. 2
The Times and Democrat on the sales tax holiday:
South Carolina’s sales tax holiday from Aug. 7-9 takes on a different dynamic amid the coronavirus. The ongoing pandemic has reduced consumer spending and left many businesses struggling.
Schools will operate beginning in August in anything but normal mode. The supply lists that students need for a return to school will be different with classes for many beginning in an online format. But back-to-school requirements remain.
Merchants are in need of all the boosts they can get after mandatory shutdowns and slow reopenings. The sales tax holiday is a chance for consumers to save and local merchants to profit.
But first, we want to tell you there are arguments against tax holidays, which this year are being scheduled in 16 states. Fourteen of the holidays are in August and, in light of the coronavirus crisis, Tennessee has established a second holiday targeted at restaurants.
Janelle Cammenga, policy analyst at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, is out with a new report: Sales Tax Holidays: Politically Expedient but Poor Tax Policy 2020.
Key highlights:
- Sales tax holidays do not promote economic growth or significantly increase consumer purchases; the evidence (including a 2017 study by Federal Reserve researchers) shows that they simply shift the timing of purchases.
- Sales tax holidays are not an effective solution to the current economic crisis, as the drop in consumption is caused by a public health crisis, not a drop in consumers’ desire to spend.
- Sales tax holidays create complexities for tax code compliance, efficient labor allocation and inventory management.
- Most sales tax holidays involve politicians picking products and industries to favor with exemptions, arbitrarily discriminating among products and across time.
- While sales taxes are somewhat regressive, this does not make tax holidays an effective tool for providing relief to low-income individuals.
- Political gimmicks like sales tax holidays distract policymakers and taxpayers from genuine, permanent tax relief.
Give the Tax Foundation credit for consistency in arguing that reform of the tax system is needed. Let’s even agree that tax holidays are not a substitute for reform. But let’s don’t go so far as to agree that if states can afford sales tax holidays, they can afford a more permanent form of tax relief. That depends on the extent of relief.
While many South Carolinians will go along with the idea of tax reform, a majority is not likely to echo the sentiment about the tax-free weekend. Taxes will not be imposed on clothing, shoes, school supplies, book bags, computers, printers, bedspreads and linens, and more.
Shoppers will save up to 8.5%, depending on local taxes. The state sales tax rate is 6%. Last year, South Carolina shoppers bought more than $21.7 million in tax-free items during the sales tax holiday.
“In these difficult times, Tax Free Weekend is a great way for South Carolina shoppers to save money, and even more, it’s a time to support our South Carolina businesses,” said S.C. Department of Revenue Director Hartley Powell. “Don’t forget, online purchases of eligible items are tax-free too, so check out your favorite local retailer’s website.”
Items that won’t be exempt from sales tax during the weekend include jewelry, cosmetics, eye wear, furniture, cellular phones and items placed on layaway.
Our position is to expand, not do away with, the tax-free holidays. The list of what is and is not free of taxation is confounding and should be altered to include nearly all purchases. The state’s leaders promote the holiday as a major boost to business and big bonus for consumers during what has become the third busiest shopping period of the year, surpassed only by the weekends after Thanksgiving and before Christmas.
If the holiday is good for the economy, and it surely will be this year, let’s bring more businesses in on the benefits.
Online: https://thetandd.com/
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Aug. 1
The Post and Courier on authorities arresting those involved in a riot on May 30:
Charleston lost some of its sense of security the night of May 30, as a peaceful protest wound down and was replaced by a smaller, more hostile group that lingered downtown and trashed scores of businesses and traumatized people in its path.
We are thankful that no one was seriously injured and that the damage is being repaired, but that does not erase the fear and anguish stirred that night among hundreds of innocent property owners, business owners, customers and others.
The actions of Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Police Chief Luther Reynolds that night have come under justifiable scrutiny. It’s a natural, healthy and necessary bit of civic soul searching to ensure that we do all we can to prevent a repeat of what happened.
We are encouraged by the diligent and mostly complete efforts to try to hold responsible those who perpetrated the violence. Unfortunately, only a handful of arrests were made the night of May 30 and the earliest hours of May 31, when bands of opportunistic criminals roamed between Broad and Line streets, harassing police, setting fires, breaking windows and stealing.
But in the two months since, police have worked admirably to interview witnesses, track down videos and photos and follow other leads that might give them a full picture of what happened that night. And that work has resulted in more than 80 warrants, including 46 burglary charges; 22 charges for substantial damage to property; 10 assault and battery charges; and three charges of inciting a riot.
Police have identified 31 suspects in connection with those crimes and, working with other jurisdictions, have made 23 arrests. They still are following leads, but Chief Reynolds says their work is more than halfway done.
“I think that as terrible as that night was, as terrible as the impact continues to be on our city - and it was traumatic; there was a loss of money, of tourism, of confidence, there were people that were traumatized - my answer is this brings a measure of justice,” Mr. Reynolds tells us. “If you have somebody who has a horrible crime committed against them, you can’t change that, but you can bring a measure of peace to the family, and in this case to the city.”
While some have speculated the May 30 riot was somehow orchestrated or inflamed by national figures or groups, Mr. Reynolds says the city’s investigation has found little evidence of that. Most arrested so far did not live downtown or even in the city but in and around North Charleston, Summerville and Goose Creek.
Online: https://www.postandcourier.com/
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July 31
The State on the death of 7-year-old Knowledge Sims:
When George Floyd was killed this spring by a Minneapolis police officer who knelt on his neck for several minutes, millions marched in justifiable outrage over his death.
And we are a better society today because all of these people have felt compelled to stand up for George Floyd, an unarmed Black man who senselessly died.
But is there one person willing to speak up for Knowledge Sims?
Is there one individual who will stand up for Knowledge, the 7-year-old Columbia Black child who died May 1 when two gunmen fired dozens of rounds of bullets into the Tarragon Drive home where Knowledge lived with his family?
Is there just one individual who can be stirred to reveal what they know about the killers who in cold-blooded fashion took the life of a mere kid - a small boy who liked playing football and video games?
Is there just one individual willing to do for one brutally murdered Black child in Columbia what multitudes have felt called to do for one cruelly killed Black man in Minneapolis?
To seek justice in his name?
STILL NO ANSWERS
Sadly, we still don’t what led to Knowledge’s death.
And we still don’t know - with any certainty - the identities of those who killed this child.
In a text reply to The State Editorial Board, Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Timmons said this about the ongoing investigation into Knowledge’s death:
“While CPD investigators are making progress, they could greatly benefit from Crime Stoppers tips or tips directly to them. We strongly believe that people with information to solve the case are reluctant to call the police for fear that they will be considered ‘snitches.’”
Added Timmons: “If they don’t want to help us, they should find it in their heart to help Knowledge.”
And the reality is that the very things that millions have been raising their voices about in the wake of Floyd’s death are at play in the unwillingness of one person to raise their voice about Knowledge’s killing.
FRAGILE BLACK LIVES
Floyd’s death - which came after more than eight terrifying minutes of having his breath gradually choked away under a police officer’s knee - alarmed many people because it revealed how fragile life remains for many Blacks in a country still grappling with issues of race and racism.
But isn’t it equally alarming and painful to realize just how fragile young Knowledge’s life was during the moments when this small, innocent Black child fought for air and survival after being struck by indiscriminately sprayed bullets?
BETTER POLICING
Floyd’s death has sparked overdue conversations on our responsibility to improve how police carry out policing - and foster productive relationships with the communities they serve.
But shouldn’t Knowledge’s death stir equally tardy discussions about the responsibility of citizens to help police protect in better fashion - by breaking the “code of silence” that allows criminal, destructive activities to go unpunished in many communities?
SEEKING ACCOUNTABILITY
Floyd’s death provided all of us with a searing reminder that we have an obligation to never rest in demanding accountability when wrongdoing takes place.
But right now we have the equally searing realization that on the streets of our city, the individuals responsible for Knowledge’s violent death are still eluding accountability for what they have done.
Don’t we have an obligation to be just as relentless in making these killers accountable for their wrongdoing?
All of us should feel driven to demand justice on behalf on George Floyd’s carelessly lost life.
But will one person feel driven to do what’s needed to bring us closer to finding justice on behalf of Knowledge Sims’ tragically short life?
Please?
Online: https://www.thestate.com/
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