One Southern State Considers Hitting Newcomers With a ‘Yankee Tax’

A Republican state lawmaker in South Carolina wants to slap those moving to The Palmetto State with a fee when they register their cars. 

“I’m not trying to build a wall and this is not a fee against new residents,” state Sen. Stephen Goldfinch told Fox News Digital. 

If the measure, dubbed the “Yankee tax,” passes, newcomers would have to pay $250 for a new driver’s license and $250 for vehicle registrations. 

The funds from the fee would go toward the state’s infrastructure. 

“I think there’s a rational basis for requiring newcomers to catch up with the rest of us and contribute to the roads, bridges, schools and green spaces that we’ve [residents] always contributed to,” Goldfinch added. 

After some Republicans highlighted the number of active-duty military members who move to the state after getting transferred, Goldfinch said he was open to the possibility of adding an exemption in those instances. 

South Carolina ranks No. 3 in list of states people are moving to, behind Texas and Florida, according to address change request data from the U.S. Postal Service, reports Forbes. 

“Our quality of life has been diminished by the almost 4 million people that have moved here in the last decade,” Goldfinch said.  “And we anticipate another million people moving here in the next decade. Everybody is concerned about their quality of life.”

The New Resident Fee was already approved by the Senate Finance Committee by an 11-6 vote and now heads to the Senate floor.