Speaker Lucas responds to Governor McMaster’s road bonding letter

House Speaker Jay Lucas (District 65-Darlington) issued the following statement in response to a letter received from Governor Henry McMaster earlier this morning. In the letter, Governor McMaster threated to veto the House’s roads bill which passed the Chamber with an overwhelming, bipartisan majority of 97-18 in March. The Governor also requested redirecting the funds allocated in a bond bill, which was placed on the House calendar last week and has yet to be debated, towards road repair.

“Governor McMaster’s proposal continues the pattern of placing the costs of road repair solely on the South Carolina taxpayer and not on out-of-state motorists who use and deteriorate our crumbling roads. Borrowing more money to fix South Carolina’s roads and bridges will not serve as a permanent solution to our infrastructure crisis. The House passed our roads bill with an overwhelming bipartisan and veto proof majority, which protects the South Carolina taxpayer by providing a sustainable funding stream that requires every motorist to pay their fair share.”