McMaster calls for more income tax cuts, $50,000 starting teacher pay and disaster relief in state of the state address

Summary

Governor Henry McMaster delivered his eighth state of the state address, urging further income tax reductions, a $50,000 minimum starting teacher salary, accelerated permitting and infrastructure funding, expanded disaster relief for Hurricane Helene, and cabinet changes to improve behavioral‑health accountability.

Governor Henry D. McMaster delivered the 2025 State of the State address to a joint assembly of the General Assembly, laying out priorities that include additional personal income tax cuts, higher starting teacher pay, disaster‑recovery funding for Hurricane Helene, investment in permitting capacity, and restructuring parts of the behavioral‑health system.

The governor opened with acknowledgements and a list of service members and first responders the state lost in the previous year before moving to economic highlights. He described South Carolina’s recent economic performance — noting multi‑billion dollar capital announcements and job creation — and said the state’s fiscal position supports accelerated tax reductions, proposing a cut from 6.2% to 6.0% and saying the long‑term goal should be full elimination of the personal income tax.

Education and workforce: The governor repeated a multi‑year request to raise the minimum starting teacher salary to $50,000 (he said the starting…

McMaster calls for more income tax cuts, $50,000 starting teacher pay and disaster relief in state of the state address

Summary

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