STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA
THE SENATE
For Immediate Release
August 6, 2008
Bryant Continues Fight for Greater Transparency
Wants Property Valuation Notices to be Mailed Prior to End of Fiscal Year
Columbia, SC – Senator Kevin Bryant (R-Anderson) continues to fight for greater transparency in state and local government. Senator Bryant wants county tax officials to send out new property value notices at least 60 days before the end of a county’s fiscal year, so taxpayers can have a better understanding of how much money is being collected due to an increase in property values.
“I am working on legislation that would require counties to send reassessment notices to taxpaying homeowners 60 days prior to the end of the county’s fiscal year,” says Senator Bryant. “Many taxpayers in Anderson County are still in the dark about the reassessed value of their property and the potential impact on their personal finances.”
Senator Bryant wants taxpayers to have a greater understanding of how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent. “It is all about information. The more people understand about how government is using their money, the more likely they are to hold elected officials accountable for fiscal responsibility.”
South Carolina law (Section 12-43-217) requires counties to “appraise and equalize” property once every five years and send notice to the property owner if the value or classification increase is more than $1,000. Although the notice is required, there is no specific time frame of when notice of the increase should be provided. The legislation being drafted by Senator Bryant would put a specific time frame in place. The reassessment valuation notice differs from the annual tax notice that is sent out annually.
Senator Bryant is joined in his desire to see legislation requiring a time schedule for reassessment notices by fellow Senators Larry Grooms (R- Berkeley), Greg Ryberg (R-Aiken), and Danny Verdin (R-Laurens).
Senator Bryant expects to pre-file the legislation in December ahead of the 2009 legislative session.
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