All families have been hit hard by the recession and continued sluggish economy. Everything from loss of jobs to rising food and energy prices have put the squeeze on all families. Last year, at age 62, I realized that it would probably take years for the housing industry to rebound.So, rather than spend a lot of time and money trying to position myself for a recovery, I took early retirement and began working part time with my local church.
In spite of the fact that most of our families have seen prices on everything go up while spendable income shrinks, the mayor and two members of City Council have repeatedly sought to raise property taxes for one program, project or another; and, sometimes it seemed as thought they just wanted to raise taxes simply because they could! Let me explain.
Most people do not realize that the amount a municipality can raise property taxes in any given year is regulated by SC State Statute. Because the 2010 census showed a substantial increase in our city's population, the Statutes would have allowed up to a 9.3 mil increase for the current 2011-2012 fiscal year. When one of the council members heard this during a 2011 budget workshop, that member was ecstatic and ready to increase property taxes by the entire amount right then and there -- even though there was no plan as to how the funds would be spent. It must have seemed like Christmas in July!
It is this "tax and spend" attitude that the other four members of City Council have been resisting over the past several years. Having witnessed these and other tax increases repeatedly proposed during various council sessions and workshops, I realized that as property owners we are just one vote away from higher taxes. If the tax and spend members of council pick up one more like-minded member in this year's election, it will radically change the future of Florence -- how it's governed and how much we, the taxpayers, will end up paying for it.
This, however, is not the only reason I'm running for an at-large seat on City Council. For a more detailed look at other important reasons, CLICK HERE. To read my blog titled, "Five Reasons not to Raise Florence Taxes" CLICK HERE.
How to Contact Ron
Phone: (843) 601-0113 or Email: Ron@RBMoore.com
