COLUMBIA, S.C. — With questions swirling about the future of University of South Carolina football coach Will Muschamp, Governor Henry McMaster said he trusted University officials to handle it.
"I'm sure that the president and the board and the athletic director can handle all those kinds of things just fine," McMaster said Tuesday.
When a reporter asked if McMaster thought Caslen had mishandled the situation after recent media reports, the Governor repeated his trust in leadership.
"I think all of those-- the members of the board, President Caslen, the athletic director, Tanner, they've all been involved in athletics for years and I'm confident they know how to handle those things," McMaster repeated.
McMaster, answering questions after a press conference, then turned his attention to other state issues, including education.
In recent weeks, both McMaster and Education Superintendent Molly Spearman have announced efforts to give teachers raises in next year's budget.
"The one I'm proposing is $3,000 or more, but at least $3,000 across the board for every teacher. And that will be particularly beneficial to the new teachers who start off a little lower than we would like them to. If we're going to have good teachers, we have to pay them good money. They are worth more to the future of this state and we want to have the best teachers in the country right here in South Carolina," McMaster said.
Soon after, McMaster said the teacher pay raises and state tax reform both could spur from the expected budget surplus.
"That is a top-- that and teacher pay, compensation, the entire education system of course, and taxes are the main priorities, cause with a $1.8 billion surplus, this was something that was not expected. Now, is the perfect time to begin cutting our income taxes. Again, across the board, it's 7 percent now, I'd like to take it to 6 percent. I asked the legislature to do that last year, they thought about it, but did not do it. So, this is a good time to do it, it would phase in over 5 years. One percent, it'd take it from 7 to 6 percent and that would keep our competitive advantage alive and strong with North Carolina, Georgia, and the other southern states that are booming as we are," McMaster explained.
Other state lawmakers have expressed interest in reforming education and the state's tax system as priorities headed into 2020.
In other questions, Governor McMaster reasserted his support of President Donald Trump in the midst of another week of public impeachment hearings, saying he believed Trump would be reelected.