Could Richland County try to change the way vehicles are taxed?

Should a car registered with the state in November owe the same taxes as the same car registered earlier that year?

And is it time for the state to reconsider its method of vehicle assessments?

A proposal by Richland County Councilman Bill Malinowski, approved by the full council, asks county lobbyists to press state leaders to explore taxing vehicles based on their current-month value at the time the tax is paid, rather than a value that is set once a year.

Currently, vehicles are taxed based on a midyear assessment value provided by the state Department of Revenue to every county in the state. For instance, a 2009 Honda Accord registered in August is, for tax purposes, considered equal in value to a 2009 Honda Accord that is registered in January.

Malinowski said he thinks it would be “more fair” for vehicles to be assessed based on current-month values provided by assessment data.

“Every person that registers a vehicle is really being taken advantage of by having incorrect values used by the assessment,” Malinowski said.

Counties must use assessment values provided by the state Department of Revenue, spokeswoman Bonnie Swingle said. Any change in the state’s vehicle assessment method would affect every county.

Vehicle taxes are paid one year in advance and are calculated by multiplying the assessed value times the county’s millage rate.

Vehicle assessment will be an item for discussion at an upcoming statewide conference for county treasurers, auditors and tax collectors, said Richland County Treasurer David Adams, who is president of the S.C. Association of Auditors, Treasurers and Tax Collectors.

“For the effort of fairness, for the effort of getting it right, I think it’s something we probably need to take a look at,” Adams said. “Do I think it’s a big problem? No. Do I think it’s something we need to look at? Yes.”