Issue Position: Roads and bridges

Issue Position

South Carolina's roads and bridges are crumbling. But the solution is not just more money. Shane opposed legislative leaders' plans for a straight-up tax increase. Instead, he organized and led a small group of Republican senators to propose a conservative alternative. Shane believes the first step is to reform the SCDOT. The legislatively-controlled commission should be abolished, allowing the governor to be responsible for the agency. SCDOT must be more transparent with its spending by publishing a list of projects and costs so the public can see where and how tax dollars are being spent. SCDOT should undergo regular audits to expose and eliminate wasteful spending. SCDOT should not be in the business of building sidewalks, bike lanes, or roadside beautification projects.

The General Assembly must devise a stable and consistent funding source, dedicated only to roads and bridges, that allows SCDOT to repair aging infrastructure and expand interstate capacity. Shane does not support an increase in the gas tax for roads until SCDOT is reformed and any increase is offset with other tax relief for South Carolinians.

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