COLUMBIA, SC (WSPA) – The state of South Carolina hoped to give some of the state’s tax money from a billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpot back to taxpayers but not all lawmakers are on board.
Selling the lottery’s second biggest winning ticket in history wasn’t just good news for the winner but for South Carolina as well.
“I was thrilled to have someone in South Carolina and then knowing that we would get a cut of that,” said Senator Sandy Senn.
The state’s cut of the lottery winnings would come from the income tax on the $900 million lump sum jackpot.
Several lawmakers want to use the unexpected money to give taxpayers a check.
“What we’re doing in the House is the state will get about $61 million so we’re proposing to use that money for a $50 rebate for taxpayers,” says Representative Murrell Smith.
But a few lawmakers against the idea met Tuesday afternoon to deliver this message:
“Be smarter than we are,” said Senator Dick Harpootlian.
The group is encouraging taxpayers getting that check to pay it forward.
“If the 50 dollars makes a difference to you and your family, by all means keep it,” said Sen. Senn. “But if not – if you think it would be better spent on education where it was intended to be spent, we ask that you pay it forward: give it to a teacher, a maintenance man, anywhere that the folks can use it so y’all can succeed where we failed.”
One reason the lawmakers are not on board with the refund checks is because reports show it would costs the state $700,000 to mail the checks out.
Right now, the $50 check is included in the final version of the budget that is currently waiting on its last approval.
