Socialists in Richland County, South Carolina, are at it again with a push for another tax increase. They support increasing the sales tax rate, an additional one percent, for what they claim will be improvements to roads, the public transit system, and more jobs. (Don’t get me started on that BS!)
A similar push, in neighboring Kershaw County, was voted down in the last elections. It was discovered that an officer from First Palmetto Savings Bank, and a local CPA from Cantey, Tiller, Pierce, Green, CPAs, were behind the tax increase campaign.
Now, let’s peel back the layers of the “Citizens for a Greater Midlands” organization, to see just who these “citizens” are who are pushing the latest tax increase.
Before we go any further, it should be noted that the organization’s website domain was purchased through another company, in what seems to be an effort to keep the identities of those involved a secret (the officers/staff are not listed on the website, either). We also noticed that same type of thing, with the previous Kershaw County folks who pushed for a tax increase.
These folks want to take your money, but they don’t want you to know who they are? That doesn’t seem right. If they believe strongly in the tax increase, why don’t they show their faces and publicly say so?
They don’t own up to their activities, because tax increases are not popular—no matter what local officials and news media have to say about it. Asking for a tax increase, to give more money to government—when everyone else is struggling with high unemployment, and living paycheck to paycheck—is bordering on insanity, or extreme arrogance and disregard.
Checking documents filed with the South Carolina Ethics Commission, I feel that the group is nothing more than a facade, put on the map by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce—who contributed $33,000 in initial funding to get the group started, back in August of 2010. Yes, according to the paperwork, the group has been in the works for over two years.
I have to say that their slogan, “Our Penny,” has got to be the greatest socialist slogan I’ve ever seen. To me, it’s basically saying: “Your wealth is OUR wealth, and you shouldn’t be allowed to keep it all to yourself.” That’s how the greedy, socialist, entitlement mentality works.
According to the Ethics Commission documents, the organization’s officers are:
Chairman
Mitchell Willoughby
P.O. Box 8416
Columbia, SC 29202
Occupation – Attorney
Columbia, SC
803-252-3300
Treasurer
Terry K. Schmoyer, Jr.
1330 Lady Street, Suite 507
Columbia, SC 29201
Occupation – CPA
Columbia, SC
803-254-2050
Custodian of Books & Accounts
Doug Bridges
1711 Gervais St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Occupation – Realtor
Columbia, SC
803-788-2811
These are the “citizens” who are working to steal another 1% in sales taxes from your wallet. If you are doing business with them, I would encourage you to find new business partners.
And what is with the seeming trend of attorney’s, CPAs and real estate folks in the mix behind tax increases, these days? I have to wonder if either of those types would be involved if there wasn’t some type of gain to be made. Time will tell, I guess. It’s one of those things that makes you say, “Hmmmm….”
In addition, according to the SC Ethics Commission’s website the organization has not filed any quarterly reports since the initial paperwork was entered into the record. It is my understanding that these reports are mandatory, and there is a $100-per-day penalty for not filing paperwork by the deadline. If that’s the case, it looks like someone is going to be coughing up a considerable amount of dough for messing up.
Would you really want to do business with a CPA, attorney or real estate agent who couldn’t be bothered to file important paperwork on time? Not good business, in my opinion, but Columbia Mayor Benjamin, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott and (of course) The State newspaper—who never saw a tax increase they didn’t like, as far as I can tell—endorse the group. I wonder if they know, or even care.
So, what did the organization do with the initial $33,000 that was given by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce? No one knows—other than seeing support signs blanketing the Midlands—because there have been no disclosures.
To me, this doesn’t look to be a “citizen’s” group, at all. In my opinion, it looks more like a small group of fat cats who want to get fatter through their political ties—and your tax money.
It’s not “our” penny. It’s certainly not their penny. It’s YOUR penny. Stop them from taking it from you.
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