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Web posted Wednesday, June
30, 2004
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Reassessment awaits governor's decision
BEAUFORT: Meanwhile, county continuing to
proceed without a cap.
By Lolita Huckaby
Carolina Morning News
While
Gov. Mark Sanford contemplates legislation
establishing a 20 percent cap on property tax
reassessments, Beaufort County is continuing with
plans to distribute notices without a
cap.
The county assessor's office, which
last reassessed property values in 1998, has been
preparing for the reassessment since last year,
when the County Council was considering its own 15
percent cap on reassessments.
A last-minute
bill establishing the 20 percent cap statewide,
co-sponsored by Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton
Head Island, is still sitting on the governor's
desk waiting for his action. Observers seem to
have no idea when or if Sanford will sign the
bill.
"My greatest fear is because of all
the publicity there's been on this issue, Beaufort
County property owners are going to be under the
impression that we'll be issuing tax notices with
a cap," County Administrator Gary Kubic told the
County Council on Monday.
The county is
currently in a holding pattern on the issue, ready
to mail reassessment notices in early August while
also gearing up computer systems to calculate
alternate notices if the legislation goes into
effect prior to the mailing date.
County
Assessor Bernice Wright who, along with her staff,
has conducted public information sessions on the
subject for the past month, has done her own
calculations of the proposed
legislation.
Her report shows 73 percent of
the county's taxpayers would actually get higher
tax bills under the reassessment
cap.
Councilman Frank Brafman said Monday
he's already called Sanford's office and urged the
governor not to support the
legislation.
"The timing here is a disaster
and I urge all of you to contact him," Brafman
said.
Councilman Dick Stewart took the
opposite position, contending a veto by the
governor would probably be overridden by the
General Assembly when it returns to work next
January.
"Not commenting on the merits of
the bill, but that scenario would cause even
greater confusion," he said.
The council
has not taken a position on the state
legislation.
After a year of debate the
members, who were divided on the issue, agreed in
May to drop a local 15 percent reassessment cap on
the grounds that the constitutionality of the cap
is still being challenged in court by Charleston
County.
In other action, council members
created a four-way race for two appointments to
the Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer
Authority.
Two incumbents have been
nominated for reappointment while two additional
names were added to the nominations.
Jim
Carlen of Hilton Head, who has been on the board
for the past 13 years, needs 10 council votes for
reappointment. John Phillips of Sheldon, who has
been on the board for six years, needs eight votes
for reappointment.
Former Councilman Marvin
Dukes of Beaufort was nominated by Brafman and
Donald Goodwine of Shell Point was nominated by
Councilman Herbert Glaze.
The council will
vote at its next meeting, July 26.
Reporter
Lolita Huckaby can be reached at 524-5448 or
lolita.huckaby@lowcountrynow.com
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