What to know about Hilton Head’s skirmish with Beaufort County over police fees
An extra police tax that Hilton Head Island property owners pay to Beaufort County each year has come into question amidst local public safety debates following a July 4 shooting on Coligny Beach that injured eight people.
The Town of Hilton Head Island tried for six years to fight the fee in court, but last month, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the fee was legal, ending the battle.
With the lawsuit now in the past, some town leaders are still raising questions about how the $7 million the county collects via this fee each year is being used, as the Town Council collaborates with county officials to address islanders’ concerns about crime.
Read the full story here: Sorry, Hilton Head. $167 police charge on your tax bill is legal, court says
Here are key takeaways:
- The state Supreme Court unanimously affirmed a lower court’s decision upholding the Hilton Head Island Uniform Service Fee, meaning island property owners will continue paying the charge that funds Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office patrols.
- Justices found that BCSO assigns many officers to patrol and respond to every call in Hilton Head, while responding to less than 12% of policing calls in other incorporated Beaufort County municipalities that fund their own police departments.
- The town argued the fee violated state law and forced residents to pay twice for policing — once through property taxes and again through the extra charge — while the county countered that Hilton Head taxpayers pay the same as residents of other municipalities.
- The 2026 fee is $167 for single family homes and $121 for multifamily homes, with commercial property owners paying between $48 and $287 per 1,000 square feet and hotels paying $81 per room.
- At a Thursday Special Town Council Meeting, Ward 4 Council Member Tamara Becker raised questions about how the $7 million extra that island taxpayers pay for police services is being used.
- Town Attorney Curtis Coltrane said the town is unlikely to seek reconsideration given the unanimous ruling, while Beaufort County Council Chair Alice Howard called it the “right decision” and expressed hope for a continued good relationship with the town.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
