Letter: Yes, we’ll jump on sales tax overkill

So Beaufort County Councilman Stu Rodman thinks the public shouldn’t be told that if the county’s penny sales tax referendum fails, the county can still fund the really important stuff — like critical health and safety issues.

Well, Mr. Rodman, here I am, the opponent that’s “going to jump right on that.”

If it takes $45 million or thereabouts to fund these projects, then offer us a sales tax referendum that will be in effect until that amount of money is raised and will at that point, end. I think we, the taxpayers, are willing to pay for the important things. A sales tax is still a horribly regressive tax, but at least every citizen, man/woman, young/old, black/white, rich/poor will benefit.

You can forget your pie in the sky arts centers and all those other “nice to have, wish list” items that will benefit only a few. Forget your parking garage that a private citizen already said he will build with his own money.

Speaking of tax referendums, do you really want to hand this school board, and this school superintendent in particular, a blank check that you will be covering for 10 years? With no way to stop it after it is in effect and has possibly gone terribly awry? I sure don’t want to chance that.

This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 1:35 PM with the headline "Letter: Yes, we’ll jump on sales tax overkill."