The Times Examiner Wednesday, November 12, 2014 3 TAX ... continued from Page 1 the County Council vote for the tax. The majority of the Council would not accept responsibility for a decision and voted to allow the voters to decide and appointed a commission with a hand-picked chair to develop a wish list and hold meetings with small groups of citizens in various areas of the county. The Greenville Chamber and other business and special interests began a massive effort to convince the voters of Greenville County to approve the ordinance that would add a penny to the sales tax. As election time approached, there was no organized opposition to the tax increase. It was then that the newly formed local office of Americans for Prosperity stepped forward and formed the leadership and structure for a coalition of small citizen groups to represent citizens who would be victimized by an increase in sales taxes and could be misled by the misleading information cranked out by advocates and the supportive media. For a while it appeared that the tax increase would pass easily. The editorials, slick brochures in the mail and other propaganda sounded so good. The millions of dollars extracted from residents and visitors when they made retail purchases would be used to fix potholes in roads, save repairs on cars, provide safe streets, crossings and sidewalks for our children. It would ease the traffic on Woodruff Road and attract more businesses and bicycle riders to Greenville. All the money would stay in Greenville County and there would be no tax increase on food or medicine. Only three Council members opposed the tax hike. Willis Meadows, Joe Dill and Dr. Sid Cates worked with the opposition, while most of the Council majority worked with the advocates. It was discovered that the tax would be on food. A scramble began to get the Legislature to change the law to cover the misinformation, lawmakers promised PHOTO BY BOB DILL PHOTO BY GILBERT SCALES Bob McClain, WORD Radio Program Seth Powell recognizes Coalition leaders that worked to Manager and Talkshow Host, broadcast defeat the sales tax increase. live from the Victory Celebration. relief, but nothing could be done until next year. It was determined that much of the repairs would be on state roads. Citizens are already paying taxes to maintain state roads and the funds are being spent elsewhere. All the money would not remain in the county. Millions of dollars would go to the state for administration of the taxes and design fees. As misleading and false information were exposed, the advocates on and outside Greenville County Council lost credibility with much of the voting public. The only media outlets reporting the negative side of the tax issue were WORD Radio and The Times Examiner. Loss of this battle was a huge disappointment for paving contractors, real estate developers and realtors as well as bike clubs and environmentalist and other NGOs. www.timesexaminer.com PHOTO BY GILBERT SCALES Dave Schwartz, South Carolina Director of Americans for Prosperity and sponsor of the event, addressed the guests attending the victory celebration. PHOTO BY BOB DILL Karen and Tom Nims join the victory celebration at Tommy’s Country Ham House. County Council Makes Veterans Day Official Holiday By Bob Dill Tuesday, November 11, was an official County Holiday for Greenville County employees. County offices were closed. County Council voted unanimously a week earlier to declare Veterans Day an official holiday. Council issued a statement saying the County holiday was to “recognize the valor, courage, and sacrifice of over 35,000 Greenville County citizens who served in the Armed Forces of the United States. A copy of the Resolution is as follows: A RESOLUTION TO AMEND SECTION 8.2 OF THE COUNTY OF GREENVILLE PERSONNEL HANDBOOK SO AS TO DESIGNATE VETERANS DAY AS A COUNTY HOLIDAY. WHEREAS, the Greenville County Council wishes to recognize the valor, courage, and sacrifice of over 35, 000 Greenville County citizens who have served in the Ar med Forces of the United States; and WHEREAS, these dedicated members of our Armed Forces have kept America strong and inspired generations through their GCA Cross Country Team Personal Best Times selfless service, proving their heroism and love of country time and again while helping to define the character of our nation; and WHEREAS, Veterans Day, originally set as Armistice Day to honor the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, is an established federal and state holiday observed on November 11th each year to commemorate the service of all U nited States military veterans in both wartime and peacetime; and WHEREAS, the designation of the Veterans Day Holiday can be accomplished under the current eleven (11) recognized County holidays as a replacement for the Floater Holiday. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Greenville County Council hereby amends Section 8.2 of the current County of Greenville Personnel Handbook to read as follows: “8.2 Holidays The following days are designa ted as County holidays: New Year’s Day Martin Luther King Day Good Friday Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Day After Thanksgiving Christmas Day Day After Christmas” BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that those County employees that have not taken a Floater Holiday in 2014 prior to the adoption of this Resolution, may still use their Floater Holiday this calendar year subject to Human Resources’ year - end leave use deadline. Past Commander-in-Chief Welcomes New Member GCA PHOTO Greenville Classical Academy’s cross country team turns in personal best times during the Greenville County Championship at Hillcrest High School. Greenville Classical Academy’s Cross Country team turned in personal record times during the Greenville County Championship at Hillcrest High School recently. The Lions will run in their last race of the season next month at Va-du-Mar McMilan Park in Boiling Springs as they compete in the Independent Cross Country Championship. www.timesexaminer.com PHOTO BY BOB DILL Randall Gordon Brown, at right, was welcomed as a new member of the 16th Regiment, Sons of Confederate Veterans by Past Commander-in-Chief R. Michael Givens. Brown is a descendent of Chief Musician Thomas Spivey Brown, CSA.