No more tax and pay increases, they are killing us

I would like to comment on two issues recently raised in The Sun News.

First: The letter from Gary Cole about Myrtle Beach hitting residents with every tax and fee they can think of is right on the money. There seems to be no end to these taxes and fees - and the tourists don't pay for all of these. Year-round residents like me bear the brunt. We moved to this state to get away from this kind of management. One thing we do when we can is shop outside of Myrtle Beach where some taxes are less.

Second: Is Joe DeFeo serious? He says the Horry County school board salaries should be commensurate with the Horry County Council because the school board serves the same constituents. Bunk.

There are a lot of retirees and others who have no children in the school system, so the school board does not serve the same constituents. If DeFeo is that uninformed, why would anyone want him leading a school board?

There are a considerable number of residents like me who have not had an increase in income for two to four years with taxes going up, health insurance premiums going up and no pay raise afforded us. We are losing ground and DeFeo, along with Myrtle Beach employees, are getting pay raises? I would very much like a 4.5 percent pay raise, but that is not going to happen.

I am not against employee raises in Myrtle Beach, but the percentage is generous. Soon, the state intends to add taxes and fees to gasoline for “road use,” further reducing our incomes. It is high time to stop this carnage and give the citizens a break.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 6:45 AM with the headline "No more tax and pay increases, they are killing us."