Growth is happening in South Carolina whether we like it or not, but who bears the financial burden of that growth is a decision dictated by law. Currently, South Carolina's impact fee law allows officials who don’t reside in, pay taxes within, or experience the financial implications of certain school districts to make crucial decisions about impact fees. Consequently, local families are forced to subsidize growth they did not opt for, while other districts are fully protected under the same state law.

This is unfair and unsustainable. South Carolina residents deserve a school impact fee law that reflects fair and localised decision-making processes. The current statute allows for decisions that are disconnected from the communities they affect, resulting in a misallocation of resources and an undue financial burden on local families.

For instance, there are cases where officials from outside a district have imposed fees or decided against fees without a true understanding or consideration of the real impacts on local residents and the quality of education offered in that district. Schools are the bedrock of community development and should be prioritized, not used as pawns in a mismanaged financial system.

We urge lawmakers to revise the impact fee law to ensure that decisions about fees are made by those who are directly affected and invested in the local districts. This means empowering local governments and councils to have a greater say, securing accountability, and ensuring that all districts get equitable treatment under the law, promoting sustainable growth without unfair financial burdens.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a movement toward a more equitable, localized, and transparent system of impact fees that aligns with the interests of South Carolina’s communities, promoting small and fair government. Help us reform the impact fee law to reflect the real needs and rights of local residents. Your signature matters.