Tax Increase “Fast-Tracked” by Greenville County Council

GREENVLLE, S.C. | by Harry Kibler |10/27/2013 |

In an apparent sign of desperation, Greenville County Council has scheduled an emergency special meeting for the purpose of voting on the Largest Tax Increase in history.  When contacted last week, Council was scheduled to discuss the 1% sales tax at their November 4^th Committee of the Whole meeting and vote on it at their November 5^th regular Council meeting.

As soon as the news got out concerning their actions, Council members scrambled to set a new date for the decision.  The tax increase must be a serious issue because the decision to increase the County’s revenue by $65 million per year has now been Fast-Tracked.  The vote will now take place on Monday October 28^th at 6:30.  Prior to the 6:30 meeting, the Council will conduct their Committee of the Whole meeting at 6:00 in room D of the County Square building.  Since this is a “Special Meeting” it is unclear if the Council will allow any public input prior to their vote.

In 1993 Greenville County approved a $15 per year vehicle “Road Maintenance Fee”.  As the number of vehicles has increased since then, so has the revenue collected.  Just a couple years ago, Greenville County approved the largest reassessment allowed by State law.  A 15% increase in property tax was assessed to most property owners throughout the county.

Greenville County was also among the few lucky Counties to receive at least a small amount of funding from the South Carolina State Infrastructure Bank.  Approximately $5 billion dollars have been appropriated into the SCTIB since its inception in 1997.  Thirty Seven Counties have received no funding from the SCTIB.

Although not under direct control of the Greenville County Council, the local School Board has increased millage rates twice in the last two years and is expected to increase rates again this year.

Duke Power has been authorized by the State Legislature to increase energy rates twice in two years and it is expected they will seek additional increases very soon.

Health insurance rates have soared in the last 24 months and are expected to increase even more as the new Affordable Healthcare Law is implemented.

Last year the State Legislature introduced legislation to increase the tax on gasoline in South Carolina.  The bill stalled in Committee but is expected to come up for a vote soon after the return in January.

Let’s be clear about what is about to take place.  Greenville County has two options before them.  The first option requires them to vote on placing the new sales tax on the 2014 ballot as a referendum.  This option allows them to have one vote without public input (since this will be a special meeting) to approve the measure to be placed on the 2014 ballot.  Once this vote has been approved County Council looses all control of the proposition and is required to appoint a committee / commission to decide what road projects will receive funding once the measure is approved by the voters.

The second option while similar would require public hearings and three votes by the Council to approve the measure.  This option would also keep County Council in the driver’s seat of where and how the revenue would be used.

Many on County Council want option one.  The question then becomes why Council would want to exercise the option whereby they have the least control of revenue. 

In either case, once the decision has been made to place the new Sales Tax on the 2014 ballot as a referendum, a huge media campaign will take place.  The companies which stand to gain millions in contracts and the groups that will receive funding for their special interest projects will create what many believe will be the largest media campaign in local history to convenience the voters to approve the Sales Tax.  If access to the media and funding for advertising were equal this would be a fair debate.  However, the taxpayers have no funding to persuade voters or inform them of the multiple millions of dollars that have increased in the County budget over the last few years.

County Council is counting on this disadvantage in order to have their cake and eat it too.  Many of the so called Conservatives on Council really want another $65 million of your money.  They just don’t want to appear to want it.  They would prefer to let the companies that will receive the contracts and the special interest groups do the dirty-work of convincing the voters that all will be paradise if we only pass this tax increase.

During the regular scheduled Council meeting on November 5^th a ballot measure may be introduced that would allow the voters to decide if property taxes should be decreased in Greenville County.  If County Council really believes that voters should decide tax increases it would only be consistent if they allowed voters to decide tax decreases.  Don’t hold your breath that this will ever happen.  I would expect that meeting to be cancelled or postponed.

Don’t allow Greenville County Council to have their cake and eat it too.  Don’t allow them to pass the buck on the Largest Tax Increase in history.  If they vote to pass the referendum chances are very good we WILL have the new $65 million tax.  We elect them to make the hard decisions so let’s require them to do it.  Don’t allow them to push the hardest decision off to the voters.

Visit www.NoTaxHikeSC.com and sign the petition.  You can also send every Council member an email with just one click of the button from the website.  You can also get the phone number of all Council members from the website.

• Sign the Petition
• Email County Council
• Call Your Council Member

• Greenville County has been collecting a $15 road maintenance fee since 1993
• Greenville County increased property taxes the maximum allowed by State law
• Greenville County School District has increased taxes numerous times and are coming for more
• Duke Power has increased energy rates twice in two years and will be asking for more
• Health Insurance has increased drastically and will be more expensive next year
• The State Legislature is planning an increase in gas tax when they return to Columbia in January

U.S. Senator Harry Reid recently said “Everybody Wants To Pay More Taxes”.  Maybe that is what the Democrats in Washington believe, but Greenville County Council has an 84% majority of Republicans.

Isn’t is time to let Greenville County Council know we have been Taxed Enough Already.

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