At times, like now, modest tax increases are absolutely necessary

Chickens coming home to roost, an old saying about past actions eventually causing trouble, applies to the increases in taxes and fees Horry County residents will find in their next bills from the county.

A county budget totaling $572 million for fiscal year 2021-22 (beginning July 1) was approved June 15. The council also advanced a significant ordinance establishing impact fees on new buildings, with approval expected in July.

The budget includes mill increases for public safety; expansion of flood mitigation and stormwater services; waste management; and staffing a new fire station in the Longs area.

At the previous meeting, County Council Chairman Johnny Gardner voted against three of the four mill increases, but recognized the need for more money to provide expanded public safety and stormwater services. “With the growth we’ve had it would have been really nice to raise taxes a mill or two each year so it doesn’t sting as bad. I’m not for raising taxes unless you absolutely have to, but at some point you absolutely have to because now, on top of the neglect, you have this exponential growth.”

GROWTH NOT NEW

Growth is not a new concern in much of Horry County, although it’s increasingly happening in parts of this enormous county – the largest geographically east of the Mississippi River – that have not previously felt the pressure of more people and homes.

Over the past two decades, the council time and again approved more new housing on golf courses or tobacco fields with seemingly little concern for the increased demands on public safety services and outdated infrastructure (roads, stormwater, etc.) Water and sanitary sewer services here are public utilities.

Examples are the continued growth of Carolina Forest, the numerous developments along S.C. 90, and the thousands of homes on three former golf courses at Bay Tree in Little River. Carolina Forest and Little River are two of unincorporated areas of the county, where law enforcement and fire rescue services are provided by the county, not a municipality such as Conway.

NO, NO, NO, NO

The demand for services means additional county employees, as many as 100 every year, according to assistant administrator Barry Spivey. “That’s the level of growth we have, which equates [to] a two-to-three-mill tax increase annually. Nobody wants to hear that, I understand.”

The four mill increases passed on 8-4 and 7-5 council votes. Tyler Servant and Harold Worley voted against all four. Gardner, Al Allen , and Dennis DiSabato joined the Servant-Worley NOs against the 3.4 mill increase in property taxes for public safety that will add 78 new public safety positions, including emergency responders, firefighters, police officers and 911 operators.

Members up for re-election in 2022, including Gardner who is elected countywide, may claim they held the line on tax increases. Voters should also understand they voted against 78 new public safety positions, although the expansion was approved.

DiSabato and Gardner also joined the Servant-Worley NOs on the Longs firehouse, now under construction. How do they explain not staffing a fire station?

COUNCIL EPIPHANY?

The stormwater fee increase also pays for increased mosquito spraying and flood mitigation studies. Allen, Gardner, Servant, Worley voted NO.

On the waste management increase, Bill Howard of Myrtle Beach was a NO, with Worley, Servant and Allen.

The four millage increases total 7.6, meaning owners of homes valued at $200,000 will pay $105.80 more next year.

Taxpayers cannot be expected to be jumping for joy about paying more property taxes (real estate and personal), but many do understand that additional services for more people requires more money. Some council members have experienced epiphanies, of sorts, about growth.

Implementation of impact fees is long overdue.

New development does not pay for itself, and we’re all paying – and will continue to pay – for two decades of county council members not recognizing the fact.

This story was originally published June 13, 2021 at 6:00 AM.