Why you should vote no on Richland County’s 1% transportation sales tax | Opinion

At a time of high inflation and prices and growing distrust in government spending, Richland County does not need a tax increase, a failing bus system or unnecessary flashy projects for politicians to brag about on their Facebook pages, signs and billboards.

If a vote against Richland County’s new penny tax proposal on Nov. 5 means The COMET will go away, it must. It’s true that the COMET would depend on the new penny tax and $990 million of its $4.5 billion in revenue over 25 years to stay alive. In fact, the countywide tax — first passed in 2012 and expected to reach its $1 billion revenue limit in two years — is and will continue to be the very backbone of its entire operation.

Why is that so bad? It’s simple. It’s a terrible business.

The Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority, the private company operating the COMET, has been running it at huge losses from its core operations at least since 2012. Its net operating loss was $18.9 million in 2018 and $28.4 million in 2023, showing no signs of improvement in its future. Last year, the penny tax contributed to 75% of the COMET’s revenue, with federal funds contributing 10%. This business so desperately requires government subsidies to stay afloat. That is why the county must stop funding it.

Another reason to vote against the tax is that it takes from all to benefit a few. The county aims to equitably use the new penny proceeds to benefit all Richland County residents. It’s a noble goal, but I suspect the main beneficiaries will be a fraction of Richland County as a whole.

First, 22% of the new penny tax would fund the bus system, but only 1% of the county relies on public transportation. What’s more? The city of Columbia contributes a measly $60,000 annually to The COMET’s revenue, compared to tens of millions from the penny tax. Where is the fairness in that?

Second, county and city politicians will greatly benefit from the new penny tax. The large list of fancy, new projects will serve to pad their resumes come election time.

Whether it’s defunding the COMET and shiny projects or increasing taxes on yourself and your neighbors, the politicians get to blame you for either outcome. They don’t have to be the bad guys one way or the other.

Have you seen those neon-colored “Keep Our Penny — Vote Yes” signs pop up around your neighborhood? The nonprofit behind this campaign has clearly raised a lot of money in under three months to buy signs, pins and a website. Some key people actively supporting it are politicians in Richland County. Surprise, surprise. The group includes the former and current mayor of Columbia, Richland County Council members and the head of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Is it making sense now?

A ”no” vote is a vote against a tax increase.

It has been advertised and stressed repeatedly online and at town halls that this is not an “additional” or “new” tax, that it is just an “extension.” That is some clever marketing on the county’s part to gloss over the truth, but let’s get real. The ballot referendum asks voters if they want to impose a 1% tax on themselves. The truth is that the government is asking your permission to force a tax increase on you again for another 25 years.

When was the last time you had a chance to vote against a tax? For many of us, this will be our first. Let’s use our voices — our votes — to tell the government that we want to pay fewer taxes, not more!

Vote “no” to make way for a better Richland County. We taxpayers are on track to perpetually throw money into the giant hole that is The COMET if we do not stop it now. The 2012 penny tax was supposed to be temporary in the hope that the bus system could eventually wean itself off the government’s support, but the numbers prove this is not likely to happen.

A vote against this tax does not have to be a vote against any mass transit system in Richland County. We must vote no to allow this business to fail so that a new one might have a chance to succeed. We gave this one 12 years. It is time to let it die.

This story was originally published October 15, 2024 at 9:00 AM.