Island Packet Online: New study again shows that tax cap is a tax hike

Most Beaufort County residents -- especially the middle class and small business owners -- need to demand more truth from legislators pushing a cap on property assessments for tax purposes.

Legislators say they want the cap because it will lower the property tax burden. That is dead wrong.

In truth, the cap does the exact opposite. It leads to a tax increase for most people.

When legislators say they're fighting for tax relief, they need to be pinned down. Tax relief for whom? And who pays the freight?

A new study was released last week showing what many others already have said: It's not tax relief, it is simply a shift in the tax burden. It shifts the tax burden away from those in the highest-priced property and saddles the middle class and small businesses with making up the difference. It also would lead to a much higher tax rate across the board -- probably doubled, according to county officials. Whatever is done to adjust property taxes, it must be done equitably across the board. What the legislature has passed is patently unfair.

Based on the new study commissioned by the state Chamber of Commerce, here's what legislators would say about the tax cap if they were willing to tell the truth:

"We have passed a new law that will increase taxes for 73 percent of Beaufort County property owners."

"We have passed a new law that will force 72,000 taxpayers in Beaufort County to pay more taxes."

"We have passed a new law that will prevent 41,000 Beaufort County property owners from having lower taxes after reassessments are done."

That is the truth of the matter.

The state legislature passed this exact legislation on the last day of this year's session, in an amendment sponsored by state Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island.

The legislators claim they are hearing from vast numbers of people upset about property taxes. They say they need to do something -- even though that "something" already is being challenged as unconstitutional.

Thank goodness Gov. Mark Sanford has so far refused to sign the legislation.

The legislature overwhelmingly approved the assessment cap, which means that no matter how much a property appreciates in the marketplace, for taxing purposes its appreciation would be capped at 20 percent. It mangles the constitutional mandate that all property be taxed based on fair market value.

The public needs to call legislators' bluff on this charade.

Legislators need to hear from the vast number of people who would be forced by law into subsidizing the waterfront living of the well-to-do.

Legislators need to be told they are not helping the general public with this piecemeal stab at tax reform. What they have voted for is higher taxes for more people.

	HILTON HEAD ISLAND - BLUFFTON S.C. Southern Beaufort County's News & Information Source