Incumbent Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, and her Democratic challenger, Ben Schwartz, offered similar and opposing opinions on a host of issues, including a proposed 20 percent cap on property assessments, state expenditures and school vouchers.
Both candidates said they support the proposed assessment cap, under which a home valued at $100,000 last year and reassessed this year at 200,000 would be taxed at $120,000.
The General Assembly approved the cap in June, but Gov. Mark Sanford has yet to sign the proposal into law. A study completed by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and released earlier this month reported that 73 percent of Beaufort County taxpayers would pay more in taxes to balance the money lost from capping property values if the plan was approved.
Ceips, who was elected to her first two-year term in 2002, said she was one of 104 representatives from both sides of the aisle who supported the measure.
"It's a shame when people are losing their homes because of property taxes," she said.
Schwartz agreed tax relief on property during this year's reassessment is important but noted that it is a shift of the tax burden to a majority of taxpayers who did not see a dramatic increase in property values.
"It's important to note that capping the property taxes separates taxpayers into two groups," he said.
The candidates differed on increasing some statewide taxes to improve services.
Schwartz supports increasing the state's gasoline tax -- at 16 cents a gallon and more than 5 cents lower than the national average -- to an amount comparable to other states to pay for road maintenance and construction needs.
Ceips noted that the money collected through the gas tax, which is now funneled into the state's general operating budget, should be solely earmarked for the S.C. Department of Transportation before state officials consider an increase.
On the tax on cigarettes, Ceips said it was more important to reform Medicaid than to increase funding to the program by raising the cigarette tax.
"Raising the tax on cigarettes will not plug the hole made by Medicaid," she said.
Schwartz said he would support an increase to the tax, but "only if the proceeds were used to improve health care."
The two candidates agreed the state's education system would improve with more money going to the classrooms.
"With adequate funding (the school system) can produce results," he said.
Ceips noted that the problem is not the amount of money, but how it is spent.
"Over half of what we give to education stays in the bureaucracy," she said.
When asked about supporting vouchers for students to attend private schools or tax credits for parents to be able to put their children in private schools, Ceips said she saw a difference.
"I will not support a voucher program, but I will support tax incentive programs," she said.
Schwartz saw no distinction, noting that neither supported the financial interest of public schools. "I am for funding for public schools."
The forum was hosted by The Greater Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, The Black Chamber of Commerce, The League of Women Voters of Northern Beaufort County, and the American Association of University Women of Beaufort.
It will air on WJWJ-TV at 6:30 p.m. Thursday and Oct. 28.