In the closing hours of this year's legislative session, state lawmakers passed a bill that includes a 20 percent cap on property tax increases. The bill would put an intolerable burden on Dorchester County, according to a resolution County Council passed unanimously Monday evening.

Dorchester County is required to complete a new assessment next year. The county does not have enough staff to recalculate tax bills based on a 20 percent cap on assessed values, the resolution says. The county is asking Sanford to veto the bill.

Sanford has until January either to sign the bill or veto it. If he does nothing, it will become law automatically.

The resolution also argues that Sanford should veto the bill because it may well be unconstitutional, for at least three reasons:

-- The state's Constitution requires that property taxes be levied on the fair market value of property and that they be fair and uniform; capping the property values of the wealthy puts the tax burden on the lower classes and on businesses.

-- The tax cap was tacked onto an unrelated bill (H3065).

-- The bill did not get the two-thirds majority vote that's necessary for a property-tax exemption.

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