FEEDBACK

9/27: Amendment Two will nail small counties

To the editor:

This amendment (Statehouse Report, 9/26) that sounds so good, will be just one more nail in the coffins of the small rural counties of South Carolina. The majority of the property in these counties is owned by large paper companies.

Your amendment will reduce the counties assessed value on this type real estate by one third (33 percent). This shifts more of the tax burden to the homeowners and the local business people. Is that fair? No way!

Timber production is a business just like your local IGA or Piggly Wiggly. It should be taxed similarly.

-- John A. Padgett, Marion County Auditor, Marion, S.C.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We also learned that last week's commentary generated some discussion on a SC tax bulletin board. Here's an excerpt from a Lancaster County official:

"This is just another way the brillant people in Columbia pass special laws to help certain groups; this will have the opposite effect as proposed and in some counties will be a shift of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes to homeowners and business owners!! As usual the counties and homeowners lose out to benefit the rich."

From another source in S.C. Senate research, we learned this:

"This amendment, if adopted, will allow larger companies to apply for the 4 percent tax assessment on agricultural property. Because the legislation deletes the previous limitation of ten shareholders, companies with more than 10 shareholders likely favor this proposed amendment. Conservation and environmental groups that seek to slow down development of land may be against this proposed amendment."

7/13: Education column was a joke

To the editor:

I've just read your article (Commentary, 6/20) and have this to say: When are the pro-government education types, (apparently like yourself) are going to get it through your heads money is not the problem? I have spoken with educators in Charleston County and the great great majority are simply fed-up with the screwed system.

How much money Mr. Brack do you think the taxpayers should dish out for public education? Ex. A 1st grade 30 pupil class with $8,000 per year per pupil; that's $240,000 per year. Do you think that's enough? How much do you think an 8 month a year working teacher should make? Now personally, your article is a joke like many in The Post and Courier, always more money with no reasonable accounting of where or how this money should or could be spent. Just take more money.

-- Jeff Sechrest, Charleston, SC

7/11: Need a new president

Enjoyed your comments on the presidential race. (Commentary, 7/11). As for this South Carolinian, Bush is the worst president in my lifetime (I have working memory back to Eisenhower!) and I will work to defeat him. The code words, the incessant lying, the pandering and the tendency to cloak proposals in the vestments of God are awfully tiresome for me. I agree that Edwards will make the race competitive in many states where it might not have been close.

We need a president who will take on the problems and dangers of the world in a way other than the ideological and strictly political approach of this crowd.

-- Dean Schuyler, Charleston, S.C.

7/11: Predicts Kerry will win

Good analysis. What is interesting in a poll out today is the undecided vote overall is less than 15%! That means that about 85%-90% of voters have already made up their minds, regardless. And, it's only July. So, all the rhetoric will be aimed at
keeping ones base, making sure they vote and then going after only 10%-15% of people on the fence. Bush will have to attack. Kerry will be better not to respond in kind. Talk about a polarized country.

Since Kerry has a 4%-6% lead look for that to remain reasonably constant, barring any national calamity. Also, we may have a terrorist attack before the election but non-conventional wisdom says no. An attack now can only be viewed as helping Bush. He can then say "I told you so". Of course, many believe he played into the terrorist hands by giving them a cause to advertise the United States as the evil imperialists. So, I'm sure the terrorists are actively debating who
they would rather see as President. I believe they will hold off and deal with a new administration, despite the gift Bush gave them.

Projection, Kerry wins by about 30-40 electoral votes. He wins Florida and North Carolina, plus one or two other southern states.

-- Jim Brooks, Greenville, SC