State House candidate Ryan pledges to oppose any tax increases

Calls on incumbent opponent Miller to sign pledges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 13, 2010

PAWLEYS ISLAND--Republican State House candidate Kevin Ryan has signed pledges from both state and national taxpayer advocacy groups that he will oppose any tax increases if elected and challenged his opponent, incumbent Democratic Rep. Vida Miller, to also sign the pledges.

"I stand with taxpayers in saying enough is enough. I'm pledging that if elected I will oppose all tax increases. Government can live within its means just like the working families of House District 108 have to do every day," Ryan said. "I call on my opponent Vida Miller to join me in pledging to protect taxpayers from the burden of increasing taxes, especially in this depressed economy."

Ryan signed the "Taxpayer Protection" pledges from both the Americans for Tax Reform and its state affiliate the SC Association of Taxpayers which read: "I pledge to the taxpayers of the 108th House District of the State of South Carolina and all the people of this state that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."

"I commend Kevin Ryan's commitment to limited government principles," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. "South Carolina does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. Kevin Ryan is currently the only candidate in this race to indicate that he recognizes this by taking higher taxes off the table. By signing the pledge, Kevin demonstrates that he understands the problems of hard-working South Carolina taxpayers," added Norquist.

"SCAT is delighted that Kevin Ryan has signed our "No New Tax Pledge," said Don Weaver, President of the South Carolina Association of Taxpayers. "This shows to the voters and taxpayers of his district that he is serious about managing the state budget."

Ryan joins Republican candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor, Nikki Haley and Ken Ard, First Congressional District candidate Tim Scott, Governor Mark Sanford, Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, and forty-six incumbent members of the SC General Assembly, including House and Senate Majority Leaders Rep. Kenny Bingham and Sen. Harvey Peeler, in signing both the ATR and SCAT pledges.

U.S. Senators Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, and SC Reps. Joe Wilson, Gresham Barrett, and Henry Brown are among 208 members of Congress that have signed the ATR pledge.