Rising Property and Vehicle Taxes Create Affordability Issues

The Challenge: Residents feel burdened by property taxes, particularly seniors who feel they are unaffordable and creating major pressures on fixed incomes, similar to vehicle taxes. What do South Carolinians think? Tax relief is emotionally charged. One senior wrote: "why should seniors lose their home when they have to choose between groceries or paying bills?" A retired NYC firefighter was frustrated that his pension, untaxed in New York, is now taxed in South Carolina: "I shouldn't have to pay taxes on something I worked for in another state." Others describe vehicle taxes as fundamentally unfair: "tax me when I buy it, tax me when I sell it — do not tax me every year for owning it." Several individuals pointed to the homestead exemption that was set in 2000 and there is a proposed bill to increase the exemption to $150K, which is encouraged. The recurring sentiment: "you never really own anything; you rent it from the tax office."