County Council Wants Tax Notices To Reflect TIF Collections

Taxpayers in certain areas of the county will receive more information in their tax notices, pending council approval.

Last month, council asked Auditor Brent Suddeth to add information to county tax notices that would let taxpayers know how much money is going to Tax Increment Financing Districts.

TIF Districts essentially freeze property taxes inside the district at the current rate for county, city and school district collections. As the property taxes rise naturally, money collected above that frozen rate is used to make public improvements inside the TIF district.

Members of the Administration and Finance committee discussed the issue last week.

“The real issue we're wanting is for the taxpayer to see how much is going to the TIF versus how is going to the county and how much is going to the schools,” said Councilman Neil Smith. “The real issue in all this is the amount of money that should be going to the schools is not. That's what we're trying to achieve is for people to see where the total money is going.”

Officials agree TIF collections are a confusing issue for many taxpayers.

For example, on a property with a gross tax of $4,385.10, Clemson receives $4,049, Suddeth said.

The difference between the $4,385 and the $4,049 is split between the county and the school,” Smith said. “That's what people don't understand.”

Council Chairman Jennifer Willis agreed.

“Of that, the county might get $100 and the school gets $200,” she said. “That would be the rest of the story. We look at these things and study them and understand the, but the vast majority (of people) look at the bottom line and nothing else.”

Smith called for a motion that the notices reflect the gross tax, what is diverted to a TIF, what the county receives from the gross tax and what the school district receives.

Committee members voted unanimously on that motion.

Suddeth said he would give examples of the modified notices to full council.

The line explaining the TIF districts' collections would be added only to tax notices affected by TIF districts.

“It'll just be Easley, Liberty and Clemson,” Suddeth said.