"......Berkeley County designates that the distribution of the fee-in-lieu of ad valorem property taxes pursuant to the Industrial Park Agreement received by Berkeley County for park premises located in Berkeley County (the 94% portion) be made to each of the taxing entities in Berkeley County which levy an ad valorem property tax in any of the areas comprising the Berkeley Park in the same percentage as is equal to that taxing entity's percentage of the millage rate being levied in the then current tax year for property tax purposes,.........."
At present, the fee-in-lieu of tax revenue has a set procedure for distribution. Williamsburg County gets 1%, the BC Economic Development Fund gets 5%, and the remainder is divided between the taxing entities of the county. Since the School District is one of these entities, they should get their share. According to the source you ask, in the past, this share was in the neighborhood of up to 64%. But we must remember that Mr. Davis has already taken the portion of these FILOT funds provided by Mount Holly. So the amount of funds received by the School District has been lowered.
Now we need for you to put on your thinking cap. Follow these dots. An Ordinance is in place that states the School District is legally entitled to a portion of the FILOT money collected in BC. Mr. Davis has already deprived the School District of their portion of funds from one FILOT source, Mt. Holly. Now, Mr. Davis wants to repeal the whole Ordinance that gives the School District the legal right, based on millage, to a percentage of the remaining funds.
Everyone should be aware that this FILOT money has been a large part of the School District's funding since 1996. When the County was being run in a fiscally responsible manner, everyone realized that funding the School District was an important endeavor. Obviously, this administration has a different set of priorities since Mr. Davis puts more import on a $2.4 million water line that serves 7 families and a $1.6 million mud hole.
We have all seen the articles in the newspaper stating that the School District is begging for donations to provide the basic needs of the students. Does anyone in his right mind believe this administration will give the School District jack if not forced to do so by this Ordinance? Did Mr. Davis come up short on Mr. Steve Davis' new courthouse?
What do you think will happen to the budget of the School District if and when Mr. Davis withholds the remainder of this FILOT money? What will happen if the School District is forced into the position of being the villain by raising your taxes just to meet needs? Mr. Davis will be able to sit there with his smug self and brag that he didn't raise taxes.
Many BC teachers supported Mr. Davis in both of his elections. Looks like this decision has come back to "bite cha". There was no uproar from that quarter when Mr. Davis took the Mt. Holly funds from the School District. We have to wonder if they will maintain that silence now.
4 comments:
What a way for voters to learn a lesson!! When I put the question to some school members a few months ago, they didn't see the need to file a suit against the County because of attorney fees and the length of time to resolve it!! Unfortunately, Mr. Davis feels the same way, therefore, why not continue to use the money the school district is suppose to legally get and spend on whatever he wants??? I campaigned hard yesterday advising teachers and others to contact their school board members and Berkeley County Council members to come to the Council meeting tonight (7/25/11) at 6:00 PM for the first of three (3) readings!! All citizens need to come to at the next three Council Meetings and swamp their representatives with telephone calls, letters, emails, etc., to STOP Dan Davis from making the tie vote to repeal this ordinance!!
According state law the county can distribute FILOT from multi-county parks any way it wishes. That does not give Berkeley County the right to violate it's own ordinance.
If I were still a Board Member I would be seriously considering legal action against the County. No matter whether any of this is legal or not it is simply not ethical or moral to take a tax that was always intended for the school system. If the county needs additional revenue to fund it's economic development they should assess millage to fund it rather than take it from the county's largest employer.
Mr. Hardesty, our esteemed ruler and his lackeys don't have either the gonads or integrity to do the right thing. I certainly hope you run for council because I always knew where you stood. I don't always agree with you but I believe you are an honorable man.
To grits...keep up the good work!
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