Dorchester County Courthouse. Photo courtesy ereferencedesk.com
The Dorchester County Council has called a special meeting for tonight posthaste. Is there an emergency? Reports show that it could be a quick move to raise taxes in the end run.
So, what’s the rush? Land developers, property and real estate people and construction companies are chomping at the bit to demolish and build something new they can make big bucks out of. A modern County building where the County Council currently meets along with the Tax office and other agencies, now sits on the property with an historical War Memorial to the US armed forces on the property now which was dedicated Veterans Day 1995. Real estate information shows the current County building was built in 2013.
Once gone these are not coming back! The location served as a hospital from 1937 until 1980. The Dorchester GOP is standing against the demolition of the building and removing of the historical property. The Council proposes a hotel complex to go on it.
In September 2017, Kenneth Dyal stated, “The memorial is for all uniformed services, not just the armed services. As far as I know, it is the only one that honors all of them in existence. The memorial was my idea, the County had plans for a fountain feature, but no funds to make it happen. Since, Dorchester County had so many veterans and no appropriate memorial, I suggested this to John Dumas, the architect of the renovations. Funds were raised by donations and bricks were sold to help with that effort. Dyal Memorials, Inc., my father Bernard Dyal’s company produced and installed at cost to the community to leave a lasting legacy. The memorial was featured in Stone in America Magazine.”
The Dorchester County Council called a short notice special meeting for today, Monday, May 22, 2023. They will hold the specially called meeting regarding 500 N. Main Street and the Midtown TIF District (see below). This meeting will take place in the County Council Chambers in Summerville (500 N. Main Street) at 5:00 pm. Council will discuss the merits of removing the 500 N. Main Street property from the Midtown TIF District.
The Council notice says, “This could allow greater capacity to incorporate the community’s feedback to preserve the façade of the old hospital, create a new civic park and fund improvements to the Veterans Memorial, improve Main and Cedar Streets, and provide opportunities for workforce housing.”
The Council notice also says “Placing 500 N. Main Street under a Fee in Lieu of Tax agreement will allow fee revenues to be bonded above the value of what the TIF can provide. The County could then achieve several goals by providing greater flexibility to complete projects inside and outside of the TIF District. Fee revenues would support the following:
- Funding to preserve the façade of the old hospital building.
- A new civic park and improvements to the Veterans Memorial.
- An additional $8 Million in funding to DD2 schools to supplement $2 Million from the TIF.
- Provide $20 Million in funding for a Community Recreation Facility in the Summerville area.
- Provide $2 Million in additional funding for streetscaping and improvements to Main Street and Cedar Street.
- Provide credits for workforce housing for teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and first responders within the multi-family development for at least 15 years.
- A modern County office building and additional Class A Office Space in the downtown area.
- A new downtown hotel and restaurant to provide much-needed retail and hospitality amenities in the downtown area.
- Create additional parking by providing for the construction of a parking garage in the downtown area.
What is a TIF?
Tax Increment Financing. TIF. As in TIF districts. Just the sound of it is enough to put any taxpayer to sleep, and local officials like it that way. They tell you TIF is basically free money. Don’t forget there is nothing possible as a free lunch! Somebody always pays, and when dealing with government it is always the people.
What happens is the County takes out a loan, they use the money to lure in new developments, and then the County taxes those new developments to pay back the loans. Brilliant––right?
What they don’t tell you, is that the new development increases the local tax levy… and new developments in TIF districts don’t pay into that tax levy––so everyone else in town not in the TIF district has to make up the difference… That means higher property tax rates all around for all the people. Just what we all wanted, right?
A group out of Wisconsin named the MacIver Institute has been warning about this scam for years. In fact Wisconsin’s legislative council released a memo providing independent, non-partisan confirmation of this reality that TIF districts raise local property tax rates… by a lot.
Now that’s a wakeup call! So, this is another scheme to raise taxes on you by promising somebody else something that looks like a benefit, unfortunately in many cases by destroying an historic building and erasing history. Anything to make a profit for friends and business.
Here are a few resources to help understand exactly what TIF does to your community
The Trouble With TIF; Cities love to use Tax Increment Financing to boost development. Should they? Click the link.
Here’s an Opinion piece about TIF: City’s TIF expansion is a bait and switch for voters.
Why Tax Increment Financing Often Fails and How Communities Can Do Better.
Chicago’s TIF scam might be even more crooked than we thought.
The Dark Side of Tax Increment Financing.
A resolution was filed by the Dorchester County Republican Party concerning the land use proposed and being pushed through by the Dorchester County Council. The resolution is at this link: Dorchester County Resolution County Services.
There are generally no good reasons to raise taxes and destroy perfectly good and useful buildings already in place especially if it was donated to begin with.
You may reach the Dorchester County Council Mrs. Tracey Langley, Clerk to the County council at:
tlangley@dorchestercountysc.gov
Or call 843-832-0196
Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online. You may find our video available on Rumble. The bulk of TheStandardSC video media channel has been censored by dominant social media groups like YouTube. YouTube, owed by Alphabet (Google), removed and destroyed all of our video work without permission or remuneration. That has stopped all potential donations from our many supporters on that venue. If you want to continue to see independent thought and reports please “like”, comment, share with a friend, and donate to support The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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