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Taxes, political declaration top list of concerns

Residents address local lawmakers at delegation meeting

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Reforming property taxes, requiring voters to declare a political party and changing the equation that determines how counties assess impact fees topped the wish lists Monday of residents addressing local lawmakers.

About a dozen residents spent nearly two hours during Beaufort County's Legislative Delegation meeting telling area lawmakers the changes they want to see made during this year's session.

The most repeated request was to find a way to provide property tax relief for homeowners. Specifically, several residents touted a plan that would change the way property is reassessed to a method called "point-of-sale."

Under that system, property would be reassessed only when sold, inherited or a major improvement is made. The plan would allow counties to make annual increases to tax bills to account for inflation.

It's a method that Beaufort County Councilman Mark Generales said would help the state's retirees plan their budgets while also protecting people who are cash-poor but land-rich.

"Major change, especially for (retirees) crucifies their ability to maintain a comfortable living," Generales told seven area lawmakers, adding that rising property values in Beaufort County could eventually "tax people off their land."

Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, is optimistic about the fate of the point-of-sale proposal, although he said some lawmakers disagree on what year property taxes should be reverted to if it's approved. He's more doubtful that the legislature will pass a plan that would cut property taxes by raising sales taxes and eliminating taxes paid on groceries.

"There's so many proposals about trading taxes between the property tax and the sales taxes, I'm not sure we're going to get that done this year," Richardson said after the meeting.

Edie Rogers, who represented Beaufort in the state House of Representatives from 1996 to 2002, called on the local legislators to rally support for a house bill that would require voters to declare their political party -- either Republican, Democrat or Independent.

"Why should somebody who's not a member of a party vote in a party election?" said Lady's Island resident Jim Bequette, who also spoke in favor of the proposal.

Beaufort County Councilman Peter Lamb, who represents Bluffton, asked area representatives to work with the South Carolina Department of Transportation to change the way counties can assess road impact fees. The fees pay for the cost of increased demands on infrastructure caused by development.

Lamb complained that counties must determine the cost of current usage on its roads and use existing dollars to pay for improvements before it can begin applying the impact fees toward the work.

"I would encourage you to take away the current need as a calculation of that equation," Lamb said.

Other residents asked lawmakers to support legislation that would allow homeowners to pay their property tax bills in increments and to oppose a bill that would require local governments to pay billboard companies if they force them to remove the signs.