Senate group seeking property tax relief

COLUMBIA--A group of state senators pledged Tuesday to find a remedy for increasing property taxes across South Carolina and planned to seek the public's help. Members of the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees have formed a "super-subcommittee" to study the issue that has divided the General Assembly for years. Senate Judiciary Chairman Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, said the time has come to take action. "The property tax is the cruelest tax of all. It has the potential to put people out of their homes," he said. The 12 senators will hold public hearings around the state and debate the issue through the summer. They plan to draft legislation by November and get the bill to the Senate floor as early as possible when the Legislature reconvenes in January. McConnell and Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, each were optimistic a solution could be found, but admitted it was a daunting task to tackle in less than six months. "If we were in session and trying to work on a complex problem like this, the chances would be very slim," McConnell said. In a bill last year, lawmakers attempted to limit how much property values could increase during reassessments, but Gov. Mark Sanford said a better plan was needed when he vetoed the measure. Sanford had said the bill, which would have imposed a 20 percent cap on increases in property values on homes and businesses for tax purposes, was unconstitutional because it didn't tax property based on fair market value. McConnell said he expected the new proposal to include changes to the South Carolina Constitution to bring property tax relief. The senators pledged to keep an open mind and consider proposal already in the Senate as well as new ideas. The diverse audience of business, education, and government representatives at the subcommittee meeting reflects the complexity of the property tax issue. Leatherman said the panel would only focus on property taxes, but he described South Carolina's tax system as a three-legged stool also held up by sales and income taxes. "When you start tinkering or tweaking one of the legs of that stool ... you're going to have to do something to the other legs to keep the balance there," he said. The subcommittee will meet again Aug. 2 in Columbia. The first public hearing is set for Aug. 11 in Charleston.

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