The 1.2 Billion Taxpayer Giveaway
๐๐ก๐ $๐.๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ฒ๐๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ
The 2023 Scout Motors deal for an Electric Vehicle Plant in Blythewood by our state lawmakers is one of the largest taxpayer-funded projects in South Carolina history.
This package, which was put together without the knowledge of many legislators and put on special order to pass in mere days, deserves scrutiny.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ฏ๐จ๐ญ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ฅ.
Hereโs what that vote included:
Over $๐.๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง in taxpayer-funded handouts:
โข $1.09 billion in non-repayable infrastructure incentives
โข $200 million in soil stabilization
โข Funding pulled from state reserves and surplus funds
These dollars were directed toward ONE project covering:
โข Road access and expansions
โข Water and wastewater systems
โข Rail infrastructure and bridge work
โข Site preparation, mitigation, and soil stabilization
โข Workforce training facilities
Since then, concerns have continued to grow:
โข ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ $๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง, with additional funding being requested
โข ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ค๐๐ญ, raising questions about long-term viability
โข ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ-๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ, while other needs across South Carolina remain unaddressed
โข ๐๐๐ญ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ to make way for development for an "environmentally-friendly" industry
โข ๐๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, yet the project moved forward
This isnโt a question of whether South Carolina should grow. We should. But conservative leadership means asking:
Is this the best use of taxpayer dollars?
Are we prioritizing one project at the expense of others?
Are we listening to the people who actually live there?
When over a billion dollars is committed, those questions arenโt optional - theyโre essential.
District 69 deserves leadership that will carefully evaluate deals of this scale BEFORE committing public resources, and ensure that growth in South Carolina is responsible, transparent, and accountable.
Thatโs the standard Iโm running on.
