Letter: Are We Ready For a Penny Tax?

Can we confidently entrust county council to manage a multi-million dollar Capital Project Penny Sales Tax?  County headlines over the last five years say no:

  • Pauley, Morgan flip flop on secret ballot Was Vote for Chair, Vice Chair Legal? (Jan. 16, 2025)
  • After 10 months of silence, council faces questions regarding admin search (Oct. 12, 2023)
  • Late Fairfield County audit reveals $95M in adjustments (June 29, 2023)
  • Council facing financial emergencies: penalties, fines, late audit and more (Jan. 11, 2024)
  •  Seals is out 4 days after being hired as interim county administrator (May 24, 2021)
  • Council hires eighth person to be in charge of county government in less than 4 years (Feb. 2024)
  • Fairfield County A & H tax committee recommends $450K without guidelines (May 8, 2025)
  • Animal ad hoc committee applicants not required to submit qualifications (March 20, 2025)

After the tenth time in a row of late financial audits, and after a 52% finance department budget increase in the three years prior, on April, 2025, council receives damning independent financial audit report.

Randy Bright

Ridgeway

Contact us: (803) 767-5711 | P.O. Box 675, Blythewood, SC 29016 | [email protected]