Richland County raises taxes to cover $15 million budget shortfall. What to know
Richland County taxes are going up to cover a $15 million gap in the county budget. County Council members Tuesday passed a budget for the coming fiscal year that includes a tax increase on homes, businesses, and vehicles — the first such hike in six years.
Under the new budget, the owner of a $100,000 legal residence will pay about $26 more per year in county taxes. A $100,000 commercial property would see a tax increase of $57 in the Richland 1 school district and $75 in Richland 2. The annual tax bill on a $20,000 vehicle would rise by $11.40 in Richland 1 and $15 in Richland 2, according to county auditor Paul Brawley.
Those tax increases should cover a $15 million shortfall between the county’s revenues and expenses, driven mostly by inflation and a growing population, said County Council Chairwoman Jesica Mackey in an interview with The State prior to the final reading of the budget.
“We’ve been operating off of the same budget since 2019, even as costs and population have grown,” Mackey said, emphasizing that the county has not raised taxes since before the COVID-19 pandemic. “This isn’t about expanding services — it’s about continuing what we’re already doing.”
Mackey added that there is “not anything new or transformative that is pushing us over budget.”
Richland County added an estimated 15,000 new residents between April 2020 and July 2024, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Mackey said the tax increase is necessary to keep up with that growth.
Richland County properties have also gotten more valuable in that time, with more than 70% of properties seeing an increased value of at least 15% over the last half-decade, according to a previous interview with county assessor Fred Descy.
The county budget covers both general county operations and provides money for “millage agencies” such as the two public school districts, the Richland Library, and Midlands Technical College. Many of those agencies, including both school districts, received increases from the county this year, Mackey added.
