Legislative eNews

Government Affairs Update from the Hilton Head Island-
Bluffton Chamber of Commerce -- Oct. 17-21, 2005

www.hiltonheadisland.org
www.highway278.org

Topic #1 -- County Council seeks clarification on its new admissions fee -- Beaufort County Council members, during a finance committee meeting on Oct. 17, discussed whether the county's new 2.5 percent admissions fee applies to golf club membership dues. Some County Council members said it was never their intent to charge a fee on membership dues.  County Administrator Gary Kubic will report back to the committee with further information about the 'for-profit' and 'not-for-profit' status of golf club memberships.  A 'for-profit' status would make them subject to the fee.  Kubic also will provide the committee the state's database of businesses paying the state admissions fee.  This database, he said, will help the county get a better idea of the potential revenue stream from the fee.  It was the county's original intent that any business paying the state admissions fee would also be charged the county admissions fee.  Kubic will explore whether the county can deviate from the state's list of businesses.

Topic #2 -- Tax assessor says 60 percent of reassessment appeals are complete -- Beaufort County's new tax assessor Ed Hughes reported to the county finance committee on Oct. 17 the assessor staff has finished 60 percent of the 11,657 tax reassessment appeals.  Approximately 1,100 of the remainder are completed, but still require taxpayer notification.  Another 3,600 are in various stages of completion.

Topic #3 -- County, School District agree to fight for changes in the state education funding formula -- At a joint committee meeting on Oct. 18, members from Beaufort County Council and the School Board agreed to hire a law firm to assist them in convincing the state legislature to change the state education funding formula.  The committee members also agreed to meet with the local legislative delegation concerning the issue and to travel to Columbia to meet with other legislators.  The county's dilemma is that, in the words of the elected leaders, the county is paying a disproportionate amount of money to the state, but getting little in return.