Welcome to a new season and another episode of the Beyond Policy podcast with your host, Dr. Oran Smith of Palmetto Promise Institute. In this episode, Oran is joined by Pete Sepp, President of the National Taxpayers Union and the NTU Foundation, to discuss two pressing issues in South Carolina: energy freedom and tax reform.
Sepp emphasizes the critical role of energy in the Palmetto State economy, the challenges posed by the coming eight-fold increase in electricity demand here, and the need for a balanced and comprehensive approach to energy sourcing. Too often, “utilities are building stuff and making their ratepayers pay for it.”
The conversation then shifts to tax reform, where Smith and Sepp explore the new proposal by the Republican leadership of the South Carolina General Assembly (2025) to lower individual income tax rates and transition to a simpler, more common method of calculating income for South Carolina tax purposes (federal Adjusted Gross Income or “AGI”). The discussion centers on the fact that a broader tax base will engage more citizens in the tax system, and lower rates will fuel economic growth.
Tune in to this thought-provoking episode of the Beyond Policy podcast as we go beyond policy and explore innovative solutions to improve the lives of South Carolina citizens.
