Fair Share

[Lee Padgett]

Where is the rallying cry from the union and democrats about businesses paying their fair share? Well, one corporation in particular: Liberty Steel. Under the old FILOT agreement ISG and its varied owners who kept the same name paid anywhere from 45-51 Thousand for the fee in lieu of taxes. Liberty had a 2 year break in paying and the last 3 years have paid, wait for it, 18 K, 18 k, and 15 K. That leaves the rest of us in the City to pay for the Mills lack of a "fair share". As someone who has been supportive of this mill for the last decade plus including hoping Liberty was coming in and would make it a viable entity for the City and would provide decent wage jobs that would enhance us and the surrounding areas, I cannot any longer. The mill was reopened and gave former employees another round of hope and promise only to find them jerked around again. Supposedly the mill opened to fulfill a back log of orders from it's sister mill in Peoria. Well the amount of wire rod continuing to build blows that argument to hell. This is and will be an unsustainable business model. Having to import billets to roll is costly especially with diesel being what it is, and then the cost of transporting being doubled with this rod, presumably, being shipped back to Peoria for order fulfillment. Hmmmmm....  I guess the customers have cancelled orders. Whatever the case may be. In 6 months time these guys will be sent packing again and the owners will once again turn their backs on Georgetown. Hopefully the BZA will put aside all personal feelings and hopes etc and examine the situation as it stands and vote accordingly. It's time to pay the piper or pack up and leave town.

[concernedperson]

I am guessing you already know this Lee but I bet most don’t. The state of SC sets the tax on manufacturing property. Georgetown County is not allowed to set tax rates on manufacturing because the local good old boys had a history of gouging people they did not like. But here is the rub for many of us. During the years the steel mill was not manufacturing it should have been taxed as every other property. Who protected the mill during the times and allowed those years of 18K? Heck my boss owns four small businesses here and every one of them paid more than 18K a year in property taxes. This is crazy to allow the mill to sit idle and be a blight on Georgetown and even more insulting to allow them not to pay their fair share!

[Lee Padgett]

I knew the SCDOR had priority over setting FILOT. But the huge reduction Liberty got, plus the 2 year grace period of nothing paid is wrong. Based on 33% of property tax paid going to city, Walmart paid on average 50k a year. Also providing revenue to the utilities. It's just a nightmare that this plan was approved with no consideration for the taxpayers of this city! Where are those that love to scream corporate welfare and pay your fair share. Spread the word!