Richland County, S.C. isn’t the only local government in the Palmetto State pushing a tax hike in this off-year (read: low participation) November election.
In “conservative” Greenville, S.C., county council members are pushing a $65 million a year increase in the sales tax (ostensibly to fund repairs to the county’s roads and bridges). Yeah … apparently the massive $700 million borrowing binge at the state level wasn’t enough to fix the “problem.”
Anyway … a group of concerned citizens in Greenville is protesting this tax hike, staging rallies and running a nice ad that makes the case against the proposed levy.
“This referendum will cost the average family of two $300 a year,” the ad’s narrator states. “That’s a month of groceries, a car payment, even money you plan to spend on holiday gifts.
For a local race this spot – paid for by No Tax Hike SC – is pretty good.
Take a look …
(Click to play)
We wholeheartedly support this group’s efforts … Greenville taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to shell out $300 more each year simply because Palmetto politicians can’t say no to new transportation boondoggles.
Unlike pure cops and courts libertarians, we believe roads and bridges are a core function of government – and there is more than enough tax money available in South Carolina to provide for their maintenance and expansion.
The problem? Government at all levels spends too much money on totally unnecessary functions – and the money it does appropriate to infrastructure often goes to totally unnecessary projects.
23 comments
Paging Lillian McBride…
Maybe she should start a consulting firm to aid the various counties in state.
Ramming through tax increases via fraud, underhanded tactics, etc. seems to be a booming business.
Maybe it could just be a PAC and she could pay herself as a PAC manager.
Something like “South Carolinians for Freedom” PAC or something along those lines with which to more easily dupe the sheeple.
According to Nitrat if she wants it to be a conservative PAC, she’ll have to have the word “Policy” somewhere in the name…
Sic, The county council said it was the state that should pay for the repairs but the state is not giving Greenville any money so we have to pay for it ourselves this way. No way in hell this passes. I would not be surprised to see a large turnover on County Council after this bc people are pissed up here.
What is wrong with letting the voters decide the issue? Our elections office is capable of including this item. BTW, IT WOULD BE VOTED ON ITS REGULAR 2014 GENERAL ELECTION. The state will not pay for these improvements.
I was wondering if the repairs were on state-maintained roads or roads that Greenville is actually responsible for.
My understanding, from an interview with Butch Kirven, former chairman of the County Council, is that it is for both.
It’s just taxpayer money, so co-mingling of funds is no big deal.
Here is a novel idea……..how about making the people who received their slice of the $1 billion in New Market Tax Credits (Obama Stimulus, if you will) pay for the roads leading to the palaces they built………..Sic, you have given everyone else hell for using NMTCs, why not Greenville cronies??????
Who is lining your pocket not to call out all the “Guvment” money Greenville has and amazingly is still receiving?
So, the vote is to add the issue to the ballot. Why is putting the issue of raising taxes directly in the hands of the people such a bad idea NoTaxHikeSC? hypocritical libertarians
Yep. Afraid to let the people speak when they suspect that what the people want does not fit their agenda. Very misleading article – vote is not for the tax itself but for the opportunity to vote on the tax.
“hypocritical libertarians”
Most little “L” libertarians don’t believe in the right of 51%(or more) of people being able to take money by vote or any other force over the 49%(or less).
Carry on.
Thanks for admitting you don’t believe in majority rule.
The problem is we have too many people who think like you, but don’t admit it.
Voting to put a tax hike on the ballot is hypocritical, but posting with someone else’s name to cause confusion is cool?
If it’s added to the ballot, there will be a massive ad campaign to promote the tax hike. This may be the only chance those that oppose it have to stop it. We don’t have millions, but we do take the time to know what’s up and try to help others be informed as well. And if it’s added to the ballot, we will do our best to keep getting the word out. If you buy that whole “let the taxpayer decide” – well, that mentality gave us Obama. I do however wish it was that simple.
$300 is a month of groceries? Good luck with that!
For a married couple? Very feasible.
Rich real estate developers and their baggage handlers are trying to pull the same stunt in Dorchester County tomorrow.
The new sales tax is called “LOST.”
Like you say, they’re counting on the working stiffs, the middle class, the poor and the elderly NOT to show up and vote.
A small cabal of well-financed, well-fed, sold-out county council members are leading the charge for this “special,” $35,000 election.
The typical “Pied Piper in reverse” routine: regressive taxation.
If it passes, Dorchester County residents deserve this special punch in the nose.
Lexington County Council is pushing for their version of the “penny sales tax increase” and has reportedly decided to spend several hundred thousand dollars on a consulting firm to tell them how best to squander that money. They are also going to piss away several hundred thou$and more on recreation stuff. In these trying economic times, their gall is unfathomable.
I understand that the only council person to vote against this was the guy from the Batesburg-Leesville area.
Its $23 million bucks for the recreation bond issue, but its only going to raise property taxes on a $100,000 house $4. Of course they don’t want to mention the increase in the auto property taxes of business property taxes, including rental properties. Does anyone think those extra taxes on businesses are just going to be absorbed by the businesses? Plus add the new school taxes, the new sales taxes, the new sex toy taxes, where does it stop? Oh it’s just a little bit. But consider, it’s a vocal minority that pushes for these recreation boondoggles but everyone has to pay for them (this $23M is being voted on by Council, NOT voters). All that money they spent on the super deluxe tennis complex on Oak drive, I’ve never even stepped foot in there and likely never will but I pay for it. The new $3,500,000 baseball complex for Pineview, I’ve seen it and it is way more than what is needed but I pay for it. This $23,000,000 will build stuff that profession teams in other countries will be envious of but not what is NEEDED. Sorry CorruptionInColumbia got kind of carried away.
No man, you speak the truth! Also, thanks for the correction on the amount they want to squander on recreation! That we have elected, re-elected, and given these scum power to steal from us in this matter just makes me sick.
Be glad we don’t live in Texas where a school district wants to build a $50 million football stadium when the current one looks better than some colleges.
Looks like the pro-congeation crowd from Greenville made a love offering to Sic.