Exclusive: Massive “Hidden Tax” On South Carolinians Exposed
THE LEVY YOU NEVER KNEW YOU WERE PAYING … Just call it the “fleecing of South Carolina.&You must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
THE LEVY YOU NEVER KNEW YOU WERE PAYING … Just call it the “fleecing of South Carolina.&You must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
17 comments
I just knew Lexington was going to be on that list before I even looked it up.
I take back all the mean things I thought about your blog of late. You ARE still relevant …and seemingly the only watchdog for us.
I always wondered why my car insurance cost more living in SC than it did inside the city limits of Atlanta. It sure isn’t because of risk.
You haven’t been observing SC drivers very long, have you?
;-)
It’s really not a problem. The money gets back to pols in the form of free retreats, conventions and seminars at convenient locations like Hilton Head or Las Vegas. All educational of course.
“Receipts for hookers should be listed as “relationship coaching for constituent relations” on your expense report. Morton’s can be listed if it doesn’t exceed your per diem but we wouldn’t suggest you itemize it by name.”
I get it.
Gambling — Risk assessment training
Strip club — Performance art.
The list of cities and towns has around 270+- entries listed, which if I am not mistaken, it the sum total of all incorporated cities/towns in the state.
Essentially this is a town/city fee that is collected by the Association rather than the cities/towns individually. There is a cost to that, which is what the ‘fee’ to MASC pays for. Them doing it rather than each town paying someone to handle this logically speaking would be more economical.
Businesses inside an incorporated town/city pay a business license, if this simply a per-policy substitute for that, then there really is nothing nefarious or out of the ordinary about it.
It may not be widely publicized, but it’s not “hidden” if it is on the MASC website.
Go to…..
Municipal Association of South Carolina
http://www.masc.sc/
….then click on
Programs
http://www.masc.sc/programs
….. then click on
Debt/Tax Collections
http://www.masc.sc/programs/debt-tax-collections
…..then click on your choice of
Brokers Tax Collection Program
http://www.masc.sc/pages/programs/solutions/collection-programs/Brokers-Tax.aspx
….. or click on
Insurance Tax Collection Program
http://www.masc.sc/pages/programs/solutions/collection-programs/Insurance-Tax.aspx
….. or click on
Setoff Debt Collection Program
http://www.masc.sc/pages/programs/solutions/collection-programs/Setoff-Debt.aspx
….. or click on
Telecommunications Tax Collection Program
http://www.masc.sc/pages/programs/solutions/collection-programs/Telecommunications-Tax.aspx
…. and you can also look on page 11 of the MASC Annual Report
https://www.masc.sc/SiteCollectionDocuments/AR_14.pdf
I read that we’re paying a phone tax that was set up to help fund WW 1.
A private association (regardless of for profit or non-profit) should not automatically collect taxpayer money.
If by “hidden” you mean “openly listed on the Municipal Association’s website and on the books in every city in the state” then, yeah, hidden.
“The group’s executive director Miriam Hair also told FITS that the organization’s centralized collection method creates efficiencies that save taxpayer money.”
It’s nice to know that our insurance companies are helping big brother collect his taxes from us more efficiently.
Is this paid based on zip code, area code or actual physical address? If it is by zip code then people who live outside a town are being taxed.
The Municipal Association employees are in the State Retirement System. They make a lot of money. Their senior staff makes tons. I don’t have the salary amount now but will try to get them. If someone else has them please post..
No private entity should collect and spend tax dollars. It should be handled by the state or other political subdivision and it should be subject to the State Auditor’ office.
The expenditures should be governed by the state procurement code.
There certainly can be now doubt that this group has made an outsized profit off of our tax dollars and this should stop.
Holy moly! Folks has uncovered a fifty year old tax that is in no wise secret or hidden, collected and distributed by the Municipal Association as an efficiency measure. That’s some real impressive “journalism” right there.
Here is the part that gets me. The STATE collects the tax and then gives it to this association. “The South Carolina Department of
Insurance is required to collect the broker’s premium tax and distribute
to the Municipal Association of South Carolina the municipal portion of
the tax” .
The association then “distributes” it back to the counties for a fee. Why do we need a middle man. Why cant the state distribute it back to the munis???
Smells like a scam.