ORANGEBURG, S.C. — The Orangeburg City Administration Department proposed to the city council not to raise property taxes for the upcoming fiscal year.
City administrator Sidney Evering says the city is hoping this helps to ease some of the burden families are facing.
“We realize the financial constraints that many families are facing and we don’t want to be a burden to our citizens,” Evering said. “So we decided that it was best that we avoid trying to raise property taxes this go around, but we do have core government services that we have to provide and we’re looking at ways internally that we could make sure that we are being as efficient and effective at proving those services as possible and trying to do those within the financial parameters that we’ve been given.”
The city council gave the proposed budget two approved readings with the final taking place on September third.
Annette Dees Grevious is the city councilwoman for district 4. She says making Orangeburg an attractive place to live is important.
“We are serious about making the City of Orangeburg an affordable place for our residents to live work and play,” said Dees Grievous. “And anytime we can keep the property taxes the same ideally lower than then it makes Orangeburg a more attractive place and so we want city residents to remain living in the city of Orangeburg and of course attract new visitors and residents to the city of Orangeburg and hopefully keeping the property taxes the same will help do that.”
Residents in the city say they are happy for the break.
Chenoa Bethea says paying for both city and county taxes has been a hard financial hit.
“I moved from like the outskirts to the inner city of Orangeburg, and so I now have to pay county taxes and city taxes,” said Bethea. “So, its more than I had to pay before so I'm happy to hear that they’re not going to increase it.”
Tennille Williams lives in Orangeburg. She says with the rise in cost of living, this helps.
“You know on top of everything else raising, leaving the property taxes at a standstill will probably be beneficial to a lot of families,” said Williams. “I’m just glad that they're looking out for some of the citizens here and, you know, thinking about us along the lines of let’s leave it how it is and hopefully this will be a great help.”
While the budget wouldn’t raise property taxes, the city is proposing some increased fees.
Residential sanitation services would rise by $3 from $17 to $20 monthly.
There will also be additional fees for parks and recreation activities, fingerprinting at the Department of Public Safety and parking violations.