Our View: Why shoot the messenger when the message is yours?
We will readily admit we are not the best mathematicians, but let’s do a little math anyway.
In 2016, the voters of Greenwood County cast a majority “yes” vote in support of a penny sales tax. The tax, called a Capital Project Sales Tax, was touted as having the potential of raising $87,938,185 for 27 detailed and specific projects throughout the county. The tax is to remain in place for eight years, unless the $87.9 million is collected in less time. But it must sunset in eight years and cannot remain in place until the $87.9 is raised.
Got that?
The tax has been collected for two years now, but is being projected to fall short of the anticipated/calculated/projected $87.9 million. That revelation was made during the Aug. 28 State of the City and County Address hosted by the Greenwood SC Chamber.
How short? That’s a question the newspaper wanted to know. We figured voters and taxpayers might also want to know. Moreover, we figured voters and taxpayers might well be interested in finding out which of the 27 projects might not come to be realized as a result of a shortfall in tax collections.
So, what did we do? We asked the folks in county government who are supposed to be able to answer these questions.
The answer we got apparently is the same answer some of the folks whose projects are on – excuse us, potentially on – the cutting room floor. Those folks received a letter on Greenwood County letterhead from the capital projects sales tax coordinator’s office. It clearly points out the need for recalculating projections:
”According to state law, Greenwood County can collect the 1% capital projects sales tax for a maximum of 8 years, or until we reach $87,938,185 in revenue. Based on our quarterly average, we are projecting to collect $67,902,834 at the end of our eight year time limit.”
Here’s where some of the math we mentioned comes in handy, and we are using the numbers straight from the letter that went out to the project “stakeholders.”
$87,938,185 — $67,902,834 = $20,035,351.
Now, best we can tell that lines up with the $20 million potential shortfall we were quoted when we sought clarification and details on the Aug. 28 revelation. And that explains why we used “$20 million” in subsequent story headlines. Hey, remember what we said. We are not all that good at math, so we used the figures given to us by those in the know as we attempted to tell the rest of the residents who we think might also want to be more in the know.
OK, let’s look at some more math, based on more of what was contained in the letter that was sent to the stakeholders of projects that likely will not get done. At least not yet.
”As you may recall, the 2016 referendum for the Capital Project Sales Tax listed 27 projects in order along with the amount of money allocated for each project. Also per state law, these projects have to be funded in the order they are listed on the ballot. Based on our total projected funding of $67,902,834, Greenwood County will only be able to fund through project 17 on the list. Unfortunately, Projects 18-27 on the list are not likely to be funded in this round of the Capital Projects Sales Tax.”
The letter then lists those potentially ill-fated projects:
• $3,397,273 for the rehabilitation of Katherine Hall in Ware Shoals
• $429,939 for the repair and maintenance of the Greenwood County Detention Center
• $208,998 for the purchase of a case management system for the 8th Circuit Solicitor’s Office
• $358,283 for the installation of fiber optic cable and related equipment on the campus of the Greenwood Genetic Center
• $2,447,774 for the construction of the Carolina Avenue Connector, a new road with related infrastructure between South Main Street and the campus of the Greenwood Genetic Center on Liner Circle in Greenwood
• $685,987 for the renovation of the Arts Center at the Federal Building in Greenwood, including but not limited to the replacement of the roof and certain flooring, and painting of the exterior
• $1,221,806 for the construction of an exhibition hall replicating the former Southern Passenger Depot for the Railroad Historical Center
• $1,468,664 for the purchase of a platform fire truck and related equipment for the City of Greenwood Fire Department
• $1,223,887 for the placement of lines for water service and fire suppression in the area of Harris Landing
• $4,895,548 for the placement of lines for water services and fire suppression in the area of Highway 25 South
Now add those figures up and you will get $16,338,159. Of course, that’s not $20 million, but again, we were told the same thing those stakeholders were told in the letter. We refer you to the earlier math that shows the county anticipating as much as a $20 million shortfall.
Yet, somehow, the Index-Journal is made out to look like bad guys in this tale, according to some county officials and council members. The shortfall wasn’t revealed publicly until it was brought up to about 200 people attending the Aug. 28 State of the City and County Address. We did what we should in asking questions and seeking more details. We shared those details in an extensive special report published Sept. 8.
And up until County Council met Tuesday, no one in county government contacted us about our reporting, and certainly not to say it was inaccurate. Instead, Toby Chappell, county manager, in giving a CPST update to council, said “The number $20 million has been thrown around in the media recently. Is it possible that the 2016 capital project sales tax will be $20 million short in 2025? The short answer is yes. However, it’s also possible that you win the South Carolina Powerball at 1 in 292 million odds, and it’s possible that FERC may approve our fuse plug issue, but it’s not likely.”
While we all still give a damn about the dam at Buzzard Roost, Chappell might have hit on a good idea. Perhaps county officials should, with their own money, buy Powerball tickets and, if they win, make a magnanimous gesture by donating whatever the shortfall winds up being.
We were also more than a bit disappointed by Councilman Chuck Moates’ response, following Chappell’s report to council Tuesday.
“To anyone who can read and hear logic, this makes perfectly good sense, and it’s a shame that we’ve had to deal with this turmoil, but I appreciate you addressing it in such a professional and dignified manner and I hope it will be reported as such,” he said.
We can only take that to imply that the newspaper, in trying to inform taxpayers, voters — who we rank as stakeholders in this — created turmoil. And we take it to imply our process of coverage is deemed both unprofessional and undignified.
This is particularly disappointing, considering what Moates had to say at an August County Council meeting only days after this newspaper’s former publisher and president, Judi Burns, died.
“As a champion of the freedom of the press, she stood up against partisan forces that would hinder the right of the public to know what was going on in local government,” Moates said. “At a time in our society when powerful governmental leaders are prone to denigrate the press, spreading false and malicious rumors, undermining the public’s trust in the Fourth Estate by labeling accurate reporting as ‘fake facts,’ Judi Burns stood fervently up and defended the role of journalism to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. … As a champion of the freedom of the press, she stood up against partisan forces that would hinder the right of the public to know what was going on in local government.”
And that, readers, taxpayers, voters and stakeholders, is precisely what we have continued to do in covering the CPST issue.
Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Sep 22, 2019