Message from SSTD Commissioner Marty Richard
Dear Resident,
My name is Marty Richard, I am a Commissioner for the Sangaree Special Tax District. Unbeknownst to most Sangaree residents, I have been heading up an effort with the commission to improve the response time of our first responders/fire department in Sangaree in conjunction with getting our Administration Staff at the SSTD into a new building. It has been the plan to try to house a fire engine in the same location as the new staff building to reduce cost, especially since land in Sangaree is hard to come
by.
Now there has been a lot of discussion about taxes going up and why.
Here is the situation: taxes are going up. Operational cost at the district have increased, and the past taxation policy had not been collecting enough taxes to balance the budget. Instead, the SSTD had been using monies out of the savings to make up the difference while allowing the residents to enjoy lower taxes.
Because we want to improve fire services (by providing the fire department with a location in Sangaree) install playgrounds, put our administration staff in a new building, and be able to plan for increases in the next garbage contract and fuel surcharges - taxes must increase. Most importantly, to balance the budget we have to go up on millage.
Bare minimum we can’t spend more than we are collecting. Please understand that even if the SSTD were to provide no additional services, no playgrounds, fire service, etc. taxes would still have to go up at least 10 mills to balance the budget.
As far as the new building, the SSTD has outgrown its current 20 year old steel building and direly needs to upgrade, it only has one bathroom and is not large enough for the number of employees we now have. At the same time understand we have put in to place goals for productivity in the community and plan to put in new playgrounds along with other improvements within Sangaree.
I, along with the other four Commissioners, are all tax payers right here in Sangaree and we want to see our money, everyone’s money, put to good use as well. In order to see this good use we have set time lines for parks and playgrounds to be put into place, along with a timeline mandate of no more than 3 years before a new administration building is built.
I would like to thank everyone who has asked questions and if you have more please feel free to contact the SSTD and ask how you can get in touch with your SSTD Commissioner, or email me at firefighter3strong@yahoo.com.
Thank you again.
Commissioner Marty Richard
Sangaree Connection » Tax Increase in the News said,
June 17, 2007 @ 1:20 pm
[…] Commissioner Marty Richard also sent a message to the Sangaree residents about the tax increase that tells the full story, as well as the tax districts plans for the […]
Sangaree Resident said,
June 17, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
I understand that we Sangaree residents have been paying low taxes in recent years, and that they must go up irregardless of adding new services. I am in agreement with the increased taxes if it allows us to have a fire station inside Sangaree. It is a must for us to get this because of the recent fires and the very slow response time by the fire department. Also the current admin building is deplorable. The proposed building by Commissioner Richards seems to be the best bet, as well as it has already been approved by the advisory commission. Due to the lack of available land it seems that this is our last option.
A. McDevitt said,
June 18, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
As usual, I have some thoughts on the matter. No worries, I was nice this time.
Deborah Bagley said,
June 18, 2007 @ 11:08 pm
Dear Commissioner Richard,
Thank you for your email and list of goals that SSTD has in place. It’s nice to know that our tax district is functioning well.
I have several questions that possibly you can answer. Firstly, I am fully aware that taxes will have to increase for our district, if for no other reason, everything else has certainly gone up. However, in your email, you stated that the administration building is no longer suitable for the amount of employees. Have we gained more land in our area? How many people are now employed at the SSTD? Also, are we employing an outside company to maintain our green areas? I haven’t kept up as well as I should have but I can’t remember obtaining any new property.
Further, I fully agree with our fire protection being upgraded. It’s long overdue! Will the tax district be employing a full time chief and perhaps a part time firefighter? That is long overdue also. I don’t like tax increases…no one does. However, I feel those two items should be first on your list of goals. I am aware that the county just increased our fire tax in the last couple of years. If memory serves me correctly, we had at least a $20.00 per year increase. Could that possibly go to help employ a full time chief like the other areas in the county? I know that Caromi Fire Department has a paid chief, as well as Pine Ridge and Whitesville. I’ve never understood why our area didn’t have one also, as our area already pays extra taxes for the same services that come from the county.
I also have a few questions about C&B Fire Department, who serves our tax district. I know that C&B also covers areas in Charleston County. Does Charleston County pay for those services as well? I am aware that rightfully, Berkeley County contributes the majority of the funds. However, the response time for a fire in our own area is not really very good from what I understand. I don’t know if there is a problem with dispatch or if dispatch is unable to reach someone at the fire department and causes the delay. Either way, it’s certainly a problem that needs attention. I also know that we receive ‘mutual aid’ from Pine Ridge and some of the other surrounding fire departments. But they do come from a much further distance. I am also aware that the present administration at C&B do not want a paid fire chief. However, I think Sangaree’s public safety is more important. I believe the time has come and gone for an all volunteer fire department for Sangaree. Am I the only resident concerned with fire safety? I’ve seen homes burn almost to the ground taking with it a home next door. The distance between homes alone should make a difference in our response time to a fire. When the response is slow, everybody loses.
Thanks in advance for your reply and concern.
Repectfully,
Deborah Bagley
Indian Woods Village
Casson said,
June 22, 2007 @ 11:24 pm
Aside from a Fire station I really believe that we need to use some funds or resources to address the crime. We could maybe use the old SSTD building to house public saftey or police officers. The crime and vandalism in our neighborhoods is completely out of control. I closed on my home at the end of May of 06. My home was burglerized Sept of 06. My new neighbor was robbed this past Thursday, the 21st of June. When I was robbed the thieves entered my home through the front door and escaped through the back of my home via the trenches hidden by everyones fences with over 2 thousand dollars of electronics and miscellaneous items. The robbery occured between 9am and 1pm. Both my neighbors were home at the time and saw nothing.
One of my neighbors recently sold his home to a single mother with a daughter. She was robbed within the same window of time this past Thursday and the thieves entered her home through her back door. Initially the thieves who robbed my home tried to enter my home from the back and were unsuccsessful so they smashed my front window and let themselves in. They were more succsessful getting into my new neighbors home from her back yard.
What if her daughter was home alone, what if an elderly person was in the home, what if my wife was in the home alone during this time. These thieves are local. They are scouting the neighborhoods and know the area well enough to get away unnoticed. Someone is going to get hurt or possibly raped or killed. Does this need to get any worse before any actions is taken? I am angry and I have a right to be. The burglary increased our deductible so much that our mortagage company is making us choose a new provider. The money we recieved for our policy wasnt nearly enough to replace everything not to mention repair the damages done to my home. All my window screens were sliced and my back patio door is dented on the frame. My front door no longer has a window, etc…
I dont know the extent of my neighbors damage but I know she is afraid now. I dont blame her. These thieves are violating and terrorizing our neighborhood. A home invasion situation is imminent and that type of situation can get really ugly. I know that i have worked way too hard to accomplished what I have done in my short life to allow some punk to break in my home and take what I worked hard for or hurt my wife.
I hate the idea of guns but after my neighbor was robbed I am seriously considering owning one. The police are sometimes as clueless as we are. And, after all this time nothing has been communicated to me about an investigation as to what happened in my home in Sept.
Sangaree is way too big to not have public safety or exclusive police officers patroling the areas. Especially since school is out! I never understood why there were no police precients. We really need one here in sangaree. I dont feel good about paying taxes to get a new building and a fire department when the likelyhood of a robbery, vandalism or violent crime is more likely to occur.
We need to be PROACTIVE. We shouldnt wait until we have a murder or 2 to get cops in our neighborhoods. Sure police are not the complete answer. Much of the problem lies with poor parenting and lack of parental supervision. When we see people in our neighborhoods we need to let them know we are aware of thier presence. I would like to be more active but I work on james island and coach so I usually dont get home until late in the evening.
These kids have a lot of time on there hands and nothing to occupy them. Aside from giving these kids something positive to do we need to be able to hold them accountable for thier actions. If caught commiting a crime they need to make repirations and pay back the damages through hours of community service or hold thier parents accountable for being neglagent.
Casson
Stratford Downs, Sangaree
Sangaree Connection » Crime Watch Meeting Report, 6/21/07 said,
June 26, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
[…] Chris Hall and Secretary April McDevitt. Mr. Green then asked Ms. McDevitt to come forward and read the letter from Commissioner Marty Richard that explains the tax increase. Following the letter, our guest speaker spoke to the […]