OVERWHELMINGLY …
Voters in Spartanburg, S.C. approved a massive tax hike on homes, vehicles and commercial/ rental property this week – despite numerous questions about the proposal.
We detailed some of those concerns in this story, but it was clearly too little, too late.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, the tax hike received 4,524 votes – or 63 percent of ballots cast. Only 2,667 voters – or 27 percent of those participating in this low-turnout affair – cast “no” ballots.
Frankly, this election showcases everything that’s wrong with Palmetto politics … not to mention the far left’s playbook for depriving citizens of more of their money.
It went a little something like this …
- Overpaid bureaucrats neglected maintenance obligations, then commissioned a costly study to create the “need” for new facilities.
- Politically connected officials with a direct stake in the tax hike pushed for its passage.
- The tax hike referendum was placed on the ballot for the middle of March … guaranteeing low turnout.
- Fine print financials regarding the long-term tax impact of the referendum were ignored.
- Local media served as cheerleaders for the tax hike – flat out refusing to investigate conflicts or expose its financial particulars.
Usually, taxpayers at least have a fighting chance against such campaigns … but not this time.
Local “limited government” groups like the Spartanburg Tea Party did very little real work in this election, leaving a handful of activists to fend for themselves.
They never had a chance …
As a result, South Carolina will see the construction of more cathedrals of failure to house its abysmal government-run education system – while the special interests who pushed this deal through will reap big rewards for their advocacy.
It’s a “great day in South Carolina.”
Unless you’re a student or a taxpayer …
16 comments
Jeez, Sic. There isn’t a single person in Spartanburg County who could legitimately be labeled “far left.” You’re savvy enough to know that. Lose the Limbaugh hyperbole. It wasn’t nefarious leftists — who exist only in your mind — who pushed this through, but the GOP’s “politics as usual” crowd. Want to stop this kind of crap — backdoor initiatives for tax increases and such? Make it a requirement that all ballot initiatives and special elections take place on the regular biennial election days. If open positions require filling, allow the governor to name temporary officials, with the advice and consent of the senate, pending the next regular election. The solution is within the reach of the citizenry — if they’ll get off their lazy asses and do something about it.
I’m waiting for Sparklecity’s response to this, as he, unlike Will and just about everybody on this blog, actually lives in the county where this ballot initiative took place and probably has something meaningful to impart.
Maybe the citizens that care enough to vote in this school district made the decision that this was about the future quality of life for their children and grandchildren in School District 7. (East side of Spartanburg). Hopefully the state can just get the roads fixed up here to meet the forthcoming demands of the growing population and growth in Spartanburg County.
“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” – H. L. Mencken
“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.” – H. L. Mencken
The Spartanburg Tea Party is for sale. evidently they were bought on this one.
No, just weak and incompetent.
That too, but they get paid.
Just give the crooks moar of your money to spend and maybe this time they’ll spend it wisely. Makes perfect sense…………………. NOT!!!!
Guess what dumbass, the turnout was not low. In fact, it was almost as high as the turnout for the Republican presidential primary.
Unfortunately, many in our state equate “spending money” with good government. Usually the opposite is true.
Roy Orbison pretty much sums it up, with “the man” being the Government, at all levels.
“Hey now you better listen to me everyone of you
We got a lotta lotta lotta lotta work to do
Forget about your woman and that water can
Today were working for the man.”
it is absolutely absurd that they are allowed to call for a special election for such an initiative. Even worse to me is that the school board used taxpayer $ to advocate for it.
IMO, there is not a single time that it is appropriate for a government entity to advertise anything.
The school district did NOT use any tax dollars to promote the referendum. All Pro-Referendum advertising was paid for by a citizens group. Opposition advertising was paid for by an opposition group of citizens and the Tea Party.
the district office was opening encouraging teachers to vote in favor of this referendum, and for them to encourage anyone friendly to the cause to do as well. District employees should be flat out banned from such internal lobbying, especially while on the taxpayer clock, using the taxpayer provided communications systems.
Stupid…
I for one applaud their choice of property tax – a direct tax on wealth – to wildly regressive sales taxes as applied everywhere else in the state. Most of the tax issues in this country come down to the failure to tax wealth in favor of other regressive alternatives.