COASTAL OBSERVER

Walt Ackerman has lost count of the number of presentations he has made about the two sales tax initiatives on the November ballot.

Mark Hawn estimated he has attended about 30. That’s more than the number of meetings held by the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission that he chaired and that came up with the ballot question for one of the initiatives.

With early voting beginning next week and two and a half weeks before Election Day, Hawn said at a forum this week at the Waccamaw Regional Recreation Center he is concerned about getting the word out.

“We need to be an informed voting community,” he said.

The capital project sales tax would add a penny to the state’s 6-cent sales tax to fund 22 infrastructure projects around the county at a cost of $74 million. The tax would be imposed for eight years. 

Any extra revenue collected would be applied to 19 contingency projects that total $51 million.

All the projects are listed on the ballot.

“The ballot is just super-long,” said Ackerman, the county’s director of Administrative Services, who worked with the commission.

Under state law, no public funds can be used to advocate for or against the referendums. Ackerman has spoken to private groups and at public forums to explain the measures.

Hawn and the five other appointed commission members ceased to serve after the ballot was approved by County Council. They have been part of a private effort coordinated by the Chamber of Commerce to encourage passage.

Also on the ballot is a local option sales tax that would be used to reduce the value of real estate, and personal and business property for tax purposes.

Unlike the capital project tax, the extra penny for the local option tax won’t expire. It can be rescinded via a petition and another vote, but that’s never happened, according to the S.C. Association of Counties.

The “average” homeowner would save more money through the property tax reduction than they would pay in sales tax, Ackerman said.

That’s because nonresidents, especially tourists, would pay a large portion of the sales tax, he said.

Rick Crumpler moved to Pawleys Plantation from Richland County, which also has the local option tax. Once it passed, property taxes rose, he said.

“What’s going to stop that?” he asked Ackerman.

State law limits annual tax increases to the combination of the federal cost of living index and population grow, Ackerman said.

Cindy Ryan of Litchfield noted dissatisfaction with the county’s update of its future land use plan this summer.

“I’ve been to a lot of the council meetings. The frustration is high,” she said.

Hawn said he realizes that, but that the capital projects address residents’ existing needs.

“You go to the western part of the county and it is sad,” he said. “Don’t let that frustration get in the way.”

County Democrats are also divided about the issue and decided not to take a formal position at a meeting this week.

Larry Snyder, first vice chairman of the county party, said it will be a burden on the people who can least afford another tax. 

“I’m willing to pay more in property tax rather than a sales tax,” Snyder said. “Let’s do the projects, but let’s tax it properly.”

Marilyn Hemingway, the county party chair, disagreed about the burden.

“The people you that you may consider putting that burden on are actually probably going to be the people who are going to vote for it. Because the project they’re going to receive is something they’re in desperately need of.”

Ernie Cooper, who is running for County Council District 3, urged his fellow Democrats to vote yes on the capital project sales tax because so many communities in the district he wants to represent have failing septic tanks and well water.

“That’s pathetic,” Cooper said. “Something needs to be done.”

Hemingway urged everyone to research the taxes before casting their ballot.

“We need to all get informed, make your decision and vote the way that you are comfortable with,” she said.

The county GOP Club plans to have a presentation on the sales tax referendums at its meeting Monday. The party isn’t taking a position on the measures, said Karol Anderson, who chairs the party.

“I just want people to understand it,” she said.

Anderson, whose husband, Bob, serves on County Council, wants to get Ackerman to do the presentation.

“I want it to be unbiased,” she said.