Thursday night at the Greenville City Council meeting City Attorney David Holec ruled that Councilperson Kandi Smith’s motion to rescind one cent of the city’s property tax was out of order because it had not been properly advertised as part of the council’s agenda for that meeting.

Holec’s advice on that issue is confusing considering he did not offer the same ruling when that very same one cent tax was voted in by the council last summer.  To refresh your memory, in a knee jerk reaction to news that the state legislature was not going to allow the council to levy a massive increase in their business privilege tax, Councilman Calvin Mercer made a motion to add a one cent tax to citizen’s property tax bill.  That move had not been advertised and was not on the agenda.  In fact, the vote was taken and passed with Smith absent, on a business trip.  There was no advice from the city attorney that this vote was inappropriate.

In the face of this confusing legal advice, Greenville Mayor Allen Thomas did the right thing to ignore the attorney’s ruling and call for the vote anyway.  That four of the council members voted against the mayor’s decision to take the vote speaks volumes about the politics at play.   If the mayor’s decision did nothing more it pointed out the four members who continue to want to justify their decision to raise taxes by two cents.  It should be noted that at least one of the four, Councilman Rick Croskery, has said he favors looking at rescinding one of the two pennies tax next year during budget time.

Meanwhile, the citizens of our community continue to be pawns in this soap opera.  The city’s annual audit from the firm Martin and Starnes shows what many predicted when taxes were increased.  A Greenville Headlines editorial in early September predicted the city would stockpile cash if the tax increase was not rescinded.  The city now has over $6 million sitting idly in bank accounts.  Once the full benefit of the two cents tax increase is realized that number will surely grow exponentially.

Even if the council continues on a track to lower taxes in the next budget year, the transfer of citizens money from their wallets into the city coffers in 2014 and into 2015 does not pass the smell test.  Elected officials who have control of extra pocket change often cannot withstand the temptation to start funding pet projects.

The confusing decision by the attorney plays into the hands of the group of four who continue to place politics above the well being of the citizens in this community.  The argument that the tax increase was necessary to insure the financial viability of the city has long since been proven unsound.

Citizens want their money back and they want all officials, elected or staff, to act like that matters above all else.