Considering that SC's gas tax is very low, at first it seemed reasonable that we may need to increase our gas tax to repair and build roads. The more you learn about the management of road funding it becomes obvious that it's not fair to consider an increase until we have real reform within the SC DOT. The lack of accountability is shocking! This has been portrayed in the media as a huge crisis, that we need to rush and pass one or more of the 17 tax increase bills that are currently moving through the legislature. All this despite the fact that our state treasurer, Curtis Loftis, isn't even sure we even need more funding because of a lack of transparency within the South Carolina DOT. Then, when you see all of the special interest groups who stand to benefit from these new taxes (many of them aren't even in South Carolina) and who are creating a sense of urgency, it's like something straight out of Washington DC. 

We reject any and all bills that raise taxes for road funding until: 

• There is a comprehensive audit of road/gas tax revenues collected, borrowed or spent for roadway maintenance and repair.

• There is full budgetary transparency of all spending on every project by the DOT.
• Any road funding tax bill stipulates that all current road and bridge update and repair needs must be completed before road funding tax revenues can be used to fund new projects.
• We make the SC Department of Transportation a cabinet level agency with the director chosen by the governor and approved by senate. The director must be fully accountable to the governor. 
• One person, the governor, must be fully responsible for all road spending. 
• All road and infrastructure funding monies should stay in the SCDOT where it can be tracked.
• The SCDOT road project priority must be published and available to the public. 
• The independent, road-selecting State Transportation Infrastructure Bank which spends billions on new projects with no oversight is eliminated. 
• All car sales tax must got to the SCDOT.