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Gov. McMaster touts job growth, teacher pay and infrastructure in final State of the State
Summary
In his final State of the State address, Gov. Henry D. McMaster highlighted billions in capital investment and new jobs, proposed continued tax cuts and urged raising minimum starting teacher pay to about $50,000 while pressing for infrastructure, energy and mental‑health investments.
Columbia, S.C. — Governor Henry D. McMaster used his ninth and final State of the State address on Jan. 28 to cast a forward-looking vision for South Carolina's economy, education and infrastructure, touting recent investment figures and urging the General Assembly to continue tax cuts, raise teacher pay and fund critical construction projects.
McMaster opened by recognizing fallen first responders and then cataloged a list of recent economic announcements, saying the state saw "over $9,100,000,000 in new capital investment and more than 8,100 new jobs" in 2025. On tax policy, he reiterated his long-standing push for lower personal income taxes and said, "If the general assembly can find a way to eliminate it altogether, I will sign it the second it arrives on my desk, and that's a promise."
Why it matters: McMaster framed growth, workforce development and conservation as interlinked priorities. He urged the legislature to accelerate teacher pay increases toward his $50,000 starting-salary goal and asked for an additional $1.1 billion to counter inflationary construction costs on active infrastructure projects.
Education and workforce McMaster called education the "quest for prosperity" and touted a series of steps his administration has taken, citing expansion of full-day 4K and pay increases for teachers. He proposed continuing to raise the minimum starting salary for teachers with an explicit goal of at least $50,000.
"All of our children must receive an excellent education," the governor said, calling for universal full-day 4K and expanded scholarship programs. He highlighted workforce training initiatives, the technical college scholarship program and the SC Nexus regional technology hub designation tied to research and energy projects.
Infrastructure, energy and conservation The governor described pressing needs in water, sewer, traffic and power as a result of rapid population growth and called for $1.1 billion in additional budget capacity to keep projects on schedule amid inflation. He framed nuclear energy and the state's Power SC work as central to future economic competitiveness, and touted conservation efforts that have preserved hundreds of thousands of acres.
Public safety, health and courts McMaster highlighted school safety investments — including school resource officer funding tied to recent responses to campus incidents — and described a major restructuring of behavioral health agencies to improve coordination. He also proposed judicial reforms, including changing magistrate compensation and screening to improve consistency and attract more qualified candidates.
Closing McMaster closed by urging collaboration in the legislature and expressing optimism: "The best, the very best is yet to come." His speech sets the policy frame for budget and legislative negotiations during the 2026 session.
Sources: Governor's State of the State address, Jan. 28, 2026 (delivered to the joint assembly).
