Six Republican Councilmen Ignore Grass Roots Leaders, Vote with Democrats for Tax Hike Resolution

Karen-Mims---6-4-14The Greenville County Republican Party Executive Committee overwhelmingly passed a strongly worded resolution Tuesday night, May 27th,  “opposing the tax hike referendum and the tax hike itself.” They “implored the Republican majority on County Council to reject the referendum,” and “called upon the Greenville County Council to abandon the first and second readings which were done without representation of the Citizens of District 26.”

It was clear that minds were made up before the special called meeting. Only four committeemen spoke to the resolution before the question was called and discussion was ended by a majority vote.

Doug Wavle, Dean Allen and Karen Mims spoke in favor of the resolution opposing the tax hike referendum.

Allen said the influx of new residents and other growth in the economy should stay ahead of tax needs. He stressed, “We are growing government faster than the economy is growing and that causes socialism.”

Karen Mims said the proposed sales tax increase would hurt businesses and drive customers away. Mims asked: What makes us think that people who are managing highway funds poorly will improve if we give them more money?

Carolyn Mahaffey spoke in opposition to the resolution and in favor of the sales tax referendum and increase. She spoke of the sales tax as a “fair tax,” and asked why tax opponents would not want their children to walk to school on safe sidewalks?

The resolution “Requests all citizens contact their County Councilman and urge them to vote ‘No’ to putting the referendum on the ballot”, and “urges all citizens to vote ‘No’ on the tax hike if it is placed on the ballot.”

Greenville County Council has voted on first and second readings to put a referendum on the ballot to increase the sales tax in Greenville County from 6 percent to 7 percent. This is a 16.6 percent increase in the sales tax and would represent an estimated $300 annual tax increase for a family of two. Only three council members voted in opposition to the tax increase referendum at second reading. Those in opposition were Dr. Sid Cates, Joe Dill, and Willis Meadows.

Voting in favor of the tax increase referendum were Democrats Xanthene Norris and Lottie Gibson along with Republicans Fred Payne, “Butch” Kirven, Liz Semen, Dr. Bob Taylor, and Joe Baldwin. Jim Burns who favors the referendum and tax increase was absent.

The tax increase scheme has largely been promoted as necessary to “repair our roads,” and the actual written recommendation of the Roads Advisory commission was not limited to repairing roads, but included bike lanes, sidewalks and bike trails. Furthermore, there is no legal guarantee where and for what any of this more than $600 million will actually be spent.

Much of the spending from the proposed sales tax increase would be for roads owned by the state of South Carolina, not Greenville County, and the General Assembly has consistently failed to properly return to Greenville County the tax revenues it is due for road maintenance. In fact, Greenville County only receives four cents of the sixteen-cent gas tax it collects for the state. Opponents of the tax hike point out that if Greenville County taxpayers assume financial responsibility for state roads, it will encourage the ongoing under-funding of road maintenance by the State.

Advocates of the sales tax increase have formed a coalition with the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and influential environmentalist Democrat Brad Wyche, head of Upstate Forever, providing support.

Other special interest tax advocates are bicycle clubs, paving contractors, real estate builders, developers and sales organizations.

Businesses that have moved to overcrowded Woodruff Road are advocates for funding of new streets to handle traffic. Municipalities support the tax increase. They are hopeful of getting a large share of the funds for city streets, parks, bike paths, parks and sidewalks. They are ignoring the negative impact the sales tax increase will have on retail businesses in places such as Greer, where it will be convenient for shoppers to make their purchases in Spartanburg County and pay less sales tax.

Republican tax advocate council members argue that they just want to give the voters an opportunity to decide if they want to raise their own taxes, however, they voted against a proposal by Councilman Joe Dill to place a referendum on the ballot allowing voters to vote for a tax decrease.

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