BAMBERG, S.C. - Bamberg County Council agreed Monday night to address program changes in its tax collection system to adhere to a new state law, but not without a hefty price it hopes to have reimbursed.

Under tax reform legislation passed in 2006 and modified in 2007, the state implemented a 1-cent increase in the state sales and use tax. Proceeds from the increase are being used to reduce school operating taxes on owner-occupied residential property.

It has also forced programming changes in the way Bamberg County collects its sales taxes, resulting in the council agreeing to pay $25,680 to implement those changes. The approval came with the stipulation research be done to see if the money can be reimbursed to the county via the school districts.

"Bamberg County contracts all its computer services from Smith Data Corp. We've been doing that for probably 20 years. When the legislation passed ... there were several programming changes that had to be made. It ended up being about $25,000," Bamberg County Finance Director Booker Patrick said. "The administrator had to sign this agreement because ... the tax notices are being printed as we speak."

Patrick said $15,000 of the cost would come out of this year's contingency fund budget, with the $10,000 balance to come from the county's 2000 budget.

Councilwoman Alzena Robinson asked if the move would be beneficial for the county, particularly since the money was not being spent for county operations but rather school taxes.

"If we're going to collect the taxes, then it has to be done. The reason I don't want to say it's beneficial for the county is because these changes are dealing with school taxes only," Patrick said.

Councilman Clair Guess questioned the amount of revenue the schools would receive off the 1-cent increase enacted through the legislation and if the county could somehow be reimbursed. Patrick said he wasn't sure what the revenue would be.

"I can't remember what the one percent effect was, but it was a sizable sum of money. And, in counties obliged to collect this tax for the benefit of the schools, it's gonna cost us $25,000 to do that ... . Why can't those funds come from that new-found wealth that the schools get?" Guess asked.

"That's a valid question, and I'm sure we can investigate to see if it's possible," Patrick said.

In other business, council:

* Recognized April Campbell, a clerk/typist in the Assessor's Office, among the newly hired county employees. Other new employees not in attendance included deputies Robert F. Merkle, Sandra Tavanis and Alonzo J. Jenkins and detention officers Eulyses Sease and Ronald A. Judy Sr.

* Gave final third reading to an ordinance to regulate public nuisances and unfit dwellings within the county and to provide enforcement procedures and violation penalties. As part of the ordinance, time for nuisance abatement was set at 45 days. Historical buildings were not exempted from code enforcement. County building inspector Bill Johnson said a three-month "education period" will be in effect for the public before enforcement.

* Approved Council Chair Dot Tatum's recommendation to appoint Nannie Manigault as her representative to the Bamberg County Litter Control Board from District 3.

* Approved Patrick's request to sell surplus property, which he said included several sheriff's vehicles, a motorgrader, back hoe and other miscellaneous surplus property. He said an auction is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22, with more details to be published in the newspaper.

* Approved a resolution proclaiming Sept. 17-21 Industry Appreciation Week in the county.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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