VAUGHN PUSHES FOR LARGEST PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IN HISTORY

In an amazing turnaround from his Taxpayer Association roots, Representative Lewis Vaughn sponsored a bill (H 4737) which would result in the largest property tax increase in Greenville County History. According to Columbia sources, the bill was written by an Education Lobbyist paid for by South Carolina school systems including the Greenville County School Board. This is the same School Board which used a back door provision in the state reassessment law to enact the largest tax increase in Greenville history to-date. This tax increase was enacted by the Greenville School Board despite an overwhelming rejection of a tax increase by the voters in a May 2001 referendum. Interestingly, Representative Vaughn supported this tax increase against the wishes of 70% of Greenville taxpayers.

According to the "experts" which SCHotline checked with, Vaughn’s bill would hurt job recruitment and raise taxes. County government’s all across the state would be required to annually pay the School District the difference between any negotiated tax fee and the full tax millage. Basically, previously negotiated incentives used to attract companies (jobs and investment) who would not have come otherwise will be retroactively paid to the School District. In Greenville County, the required payment to the School Board would result in the largest property tax increase in county history.

In Greenville County the School Board has shown a complete inability to manage its resources or to restrict its tax appetite. Between 1995 and 2000, the School Board increased its millage rates a whopping 30%. In 2001, the Greenville School Board enacted the largest tax increase in Greenville history. Currently, the School Board spends approximately $8,000 per student per year. It is hard to understand why Lewis Vaughn feels that the School District needs this additional tax increase or why he wants to harm the ability to bring jobs to Greenville and South Carolina during a time when many jobs are being lost. "Greater Taxation and Fewer Jobs" appear to have become Representative Vaughn’s governing philosophy.

If you find it hard to believe that a legislator who claims to be a fiscal conservative would introduce and sponsor this type of bill, you will probably also be surprised to find that all upstate legislators signed on as co-sponsors with the exception of Representatives Glenn Hamilton and Dwight Loftis. That’s right! All upstate legislators with two exceptions have signed on as co-sponsors of a bill that would substantially increase the property taxes of Greenville citizens and reduce their job opportunities. Sounds like its time to check Republican credentials!

Republican CoSponsors of the Tax Increase Bill are

Representative David Wilkins                                Representative Lewis Vaughn (author)

Representative Dan Tripp                                       Representative Harry Cato

Representative Mike Easterday                             Representative Rex Rice

Representative Gloria Haskins                               Representative Bob Leach

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