The power structure behind the scenes in Greenville County is moving rapidly ahead toward increasing the county sales tax by an additional one cent on the dollar. None of the advocates of this psychological exercise want to talk about a tax increase at this time, although it is clear that their goal is a sales tax increase. It is premature to discuss tax increases at this time if the approved script is followed.
A tested and proven strategy is being used to convince an uninformed and somewhat gullible public that a majority of the people in the county favor a tax increase to fix the neglected and deteriorating roads and bridges in their community or neighborhood.
A select commission of highly qualified, well-intended citizens have held a series of public forums to gather input from groups ranging from approximately 40 to 80 individuals in selected locations. Citizens may also enter their project wish list on a website form.
In a few weeks, the commission chairman will present a list of projects to Greenville County Council. The list will be described as a compilation and consolidation of all the input the commission has received from all sources, including public meetings and web surveys.
Following a period of well-planned, supportive publicity, including statements of support from well-funded influential community “leaders,” most of whom will benefit from the proposed tax increase, the council will vote to put the tax question on the ballot in November 2014 and let the people decide.
”Let the people decide,” is a popular slogan and will be well received and supported by most citizens. There will therefore be little opposition to council voting to place a tax increase on the ballot in a referendum. After all, why would anyone object to giving the people a choice.
With one of the twelve council members deceased, and a vote will be taken before a replacement can be elected and installed, only six votes will be required to pass the measure. The two Democrats and four Republicans required for passage are easily identified; therefore, the measure will pass without difficulty unless something unusual happens.
As soon as six or more of the Greenville County Council members vote to place a tax increase referendum on the ballot, the special interest groups who are behind the tax increase will emerge from the shadows and become loud vocal advocates and financial supporters of the tax increase referendum.
It is likely that the referendum will pass the electorate just as easily as the people of Greer and Travelers Rest voted to serve liquor by the drink on Sunday down the street from their churches. Regular citizens thinking of fairness and trusting their leaders are rarely able to match the funding of economic special interests who consider their expenditures an investment in potential future profits.
Readers will recall that a sales tax referendum to raise funds to fix roads was defeated by Greenville County Council late last year after a public uprising against it. Advocates had plan “B” ready and waiting in the wings.
Advocates that will fund and furnish the workers to ensure passage of the referendum will include paving contractors, other builders, bike clubs, businesses along current and planned bike trails, environmentalists of every stripe, enemies of the internal combustion engine, educators who want more money for school districts and developers who want taxpayers to fund sidewalks and parks in their developments. Finally, state officials are delighted that Greenville County Taxpayers may be willing to pay additional taxes to fix state highways through the cities and county.
Most readers of this publication are familiar with the Delphi Technique that has been used successfully by leftists for decades to deceive conservative targets and manipulate them into doing things they strongly opposed previously.
Since the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, and the increase in popularity and acceptance of lies and lawlessness, the Delphi Technique has become an acceptable tool for virtually all advocacy groups who wish to overcome an unsuspecting opponent.
Unless there is an unexpected overwhelming uprising of the grassroots prior to the council vote, we can expect an increase in the Greenville County sales tax early next year.