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South
Carolina Green Party
MIDLANDS GREENS PROTEST: 'NO L.O.S.T. VALUES'
Friday, February 25, 2005
Contacts: Preston Holston, Media Coordinator, 803-233-3132, cell
803-360-1839, preston@scgreens.com
Columbia, SC -- Members of the Richland County Green
Party Black Caucus and Midlands Green Party have organized in an attempt
to recall the recently adopted Local Option Sales Tax (LOST). The
measure passed last November after being defeated on several previous
attempts.
Supporters of the tax hike offer that by raising
taxes on everyone in Richland County, they will have the opportunity to
reduce a percentage or property taxes for landowners and commercial
properties.
Preston Holston, organizer of the NO LOST VALUES
campaign cites Richland County Council's own projections, "You
don't have to dig very deep to see who will be hurt the most by this tax
hike. Richland County's own numbers clearly show that people making less
than $10,000 will pay a higher percentage than those making more than
$100,000."
"This has been an ongoing trend for some
time" Holston continues. Figures from 1995 show that the lowest
rung of the income pole, families making less than $23,000, lose 5.6% of
their income to state and local taxes. Those same figures reveal that
families on the top rung, making $65,000 or more pay only 1% in state an
local taxes. "The disparities are right in front of our faces, and
we have to meet them head on. A responsible, compassionate community
protects, encourages, and motivates the most vulnerable. What County
Council has turned those citizens into prey."
Holston and others are tackling the measure through
grassroots organization. The Local Option Sales Tax includes a provision
that calls in back for review if 10% or roughly 24,000 registered voters
protest the hike. There are 23,568 renter households in Richland County,
not taking into account students living on campus, or people in assisted
living facilities.
"Mathematically, it's a lay-up", quips
Holston.
The one thing that disturbs Holston and the Midlands
Greens is that more than 10% of the community rents. Common sense
dictates that renters would oppose any measure that raises their taxes
with no expected relief in rent. "I can't believe that we have to
show them what their own numbers clearly state. But we will."
MORE INFORMATION
The South Carolina Green Party
http://scgreens.org
PO Box 5341
Columbia, SC 29250-5341
803-233-3132
Fax 866-202-3695
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