April 15, 2025
The Bluffton Sun
53A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I am writing in response to the recent editorial by Larry Toomer, Town of Bluffton Mayor. Regrettably, the content was misleading at best, particularly the portion regarding the Town’s application to Greenspace for conservation of 239 acres currently owned by Foothill’s Conservancy. This is integral to the possible purchase of adjacent land by the Beaufort County School District. In a Strategic Planning session on October 31, 2024, the Town stated they would buy the tract mentioned by Mayor Toomer and sell it to Greenspace while retaining an 80-foot easement for a north/south connector road between Highway 278 and the proposed 5B. This would allow access for further development of the rest of the tract. These parcels could be developed as planned to include 2 hotels, retail establishments, and housing. If the Town is so concerned about conservation, why do they insist on keeping the road easement? How can the Town claim to be conserving this land when they are planning to build a major road through it? What about preserving the wetlands?
So why was this letter published in newspapers and magazines? First, it asks you to reach out to your County representative to give support to this Greenspace application. Approving this application will effectively greenlight 5B, which the County Council has previously refused to support. Second, there is a unified opposition by affected communities to the Town’s policy of unrestrained development so the Town is trying to polish their image. They wish to be regarded as protectors of the environment while they continue to systematically destroy it at every possible turn, annexing parcel after parcel and approving subsequent development. The natives are getting restless, the drumbeat of overdevelopment increases every day. You see the results in the destruction of the environment and fisheries, as well as the increased costs of water, sewer, and electricity. Don’t believe everything you read. Find out what is left unsaid. Put on your Sherlock Holmes hat and investigate for yourself ! Julie Morringello, Bluffton, SC _____________________________________
A plea to Congress: Business owners can’t afford a tax hike right now I’m a South Carolina business owner, and the 20 percent tax deduction has been a lifeline for my company. The new administration is working at breakneck speed, giving lawmakers a long list of items to tackle—but only one of them will impact nearly half of South Carolina businesses. Section 199A, a crucial part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, provides a 20 percent tax deduction for pass-through businesses. These aren’t giant corporations; they’re entities like mine. They’re the businesses that employ everyday Americans. In fact, more than 47% of South Carolina’s employees work for a company that is considered a passthrough business. I’ve owned BrightStar Care in Bluffton for 18 years and BrightStar Care in West Columbia/Lexington for 14 years. We offer a high-quality home care option for seniors, children with special needs, and people recovering from injuries. The 199A deduction has been a game-changer, enabling me to hire more employees, pay
them great wages, and plan for growth. The facts speak for themselves: Across the country, real wages rose by 4.9 percent in the two years after the tax cuts were signed into law—and the economy grew an entire percentage point faster than projected. Here in South Carolina, the collective tax benefit of this deduction is a whopping $2 billion dollars. These numbers are proof that if Congress allows 199A to expire, the consequences will trickle down and hurt nearly every household in America. Removing this deduction will ultimately feel like a tax hike for business owners, forcing us to reconsider our finances if we want to remain profitable. The U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means has held several hearings on the issue, allowing business owners from around the country to make their voices heard—and everyone has doubled down on this same sentiment. New data underscores the argument that the benefits of keeping 199A intact greatly outweigh any potential costs. A study conducted on behalf of the Na-
LETTERS CONT. ON PAGE 54A
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