Council Votes 2017, 2018 and 2019 

By Alex Saitta 

March 15, 2020 

 

You have read the news stories the county council is discussing raising taxes for roads, and is considering options including a 29 mill property tax increase, an increase of the road fee from $20 to $100 or a sales tax hike from 7 to 8%.     

 

Watching this unfold, I see another example of the councilmen following along with the county administration and council leadership. 

 

I examined this new council’s voting record of 2017, 2018 and 2019 to try and glean the elements of independence or alternative thought, if any, on this council. 

 

There were 545 votes the past three years (not including procedural votes like adjournment, going into executive session, approving minutes). Only 4 times did an item get voted down. That is 541 of 545 votes or 99.2% of the time the item passed. 

 

I also examined the voting records of each of the councilmen the past three years. Chairman Roy Costner has voted with the administration recommendation or the council majority 100% of the time. Wes Hendricks, Ensley Feemster, Chris Bowers and Carl Hudson voted with the majority 99% of the time. Trey Whitehurst came in at 95%. 

 

Now that the idea of raising the county sales tax from 7 to 8 percent is getting some steam behind it, you can understand why many citizens feel compelled to speak up on social media and attend the council meetings in opposition. For the most part, there is one point of view up there, and little opposition and no alternatives being proposed by the councilmen in response to what the administration and leadership is pushing. So the people are stepping up as the vocal opposition. 

 

Oconee and Greenville have a 6% sales tax rate. Anderson is 7%. If Pickens County goes to 8 percent it will put retail businesses at a major disadvantage.   

 

The council will fly to Europe and always bends over backwards to attract a new businesses, but then pushes something like this that further burdens existing businesses. I have a better idea – how about putting existing businesses in Pickens County first for once. 

 

 

 

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