Letter: Residential development can’t pay its way

Here we go with more “tax and spend” as both Beaufort County and the school district want increased millage rates and more sales taxes.

Yes, if each present another 1 percent sales tax and voters approve, the sales tax would jump 33 percent to 8 percent. That would provide about $400 million, whether needed or not. Even though tourists would pay a lot, it would definitely hit our poorest people the hardest.

Why do we always need more tax money? The answer is simple. Most homes cost more to service than the taxes they generate. In the late 1980s, a town in California of more than 300,000 did a study that indicated home values needed to be in the upper $300,000’s to pay for city and county services for each home. That number would now be much higher. I have heard of no such studies in this area.

Meanwhile, Beaufort County strategies for economic development have been a total failure for the 24 years we have lived here. Sound economic development is required to stop the never-ending need for higher taxes on businesses, residents, property owners and visitors. It is either that or a drastic reduction in residential development.

As Gary Kubic is about to retire as county administrator, County Council should hire an outstanding executive search firm to find candidates with top-notch management skills, but who also have shown success in attracting sound economic development.

Keep looking for more tax increases with rapid residential growth absent any meaningful economic development.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Letter: Residential development can’t pay its way."