H 4284 General Bill, By Wilkins
 A Bill to establish a procedure for determining the annual budget and school
 tax millage for the School District of Greenville County including a limit on
 increased millage based on the growth of personal income in Greenville County
 plus one percent, to provide exceptions, to authorize a larger increase upon
 approval by the county legislative delegation, and to repeal Acts 284 of 1989
 and 251 of 1991, relating to the Greenville County School District and its
 authorized annual tax millage.

   01/28/92  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-10
   01/29/92  House  Debate adjourned until Tuesday, February 4, 1992 HJ-22
   02/04/92  House  Debate adjourned until Wednesday, February 5,
                     1992 HJ-23
   02/05/92  House  Amended HJ-43
   02/05/92  House  Read second time HJ-43
   02/06/92  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-8
   02/06/92  Senate Intd. & placed on local & uncontested cal. w/o
                     reference SJ-22
   05/06/92  Senate Committed to delegation from Greenville SJ-21

February 6, 1992

H. 4284

L. Printed 2/6/92--S.

Read the first time February 6, 1992.

A BILL

TO ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND SCHOOL TAX MILLAGE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF GREENVILLE COUNTY INCLUDING A LIMIT ON INCREASED MILLAGE BASED ON THE GROWTH OF PERSONAL INCOME IN GREENVILLE COUNTY PLUS ONE PERCENT, TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS, TO AUTHORIZE A LARGER INCREASE UPON APPROVAL BY THE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, AND TO REPEAL ACTS 284 OF 1989 AND 251 OF 1991, RELATING TO THE GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ITS AUTHORIZED ANNUAL TAX MILLAGE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. (A) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the annual budget for the School District of Greenville County must be determined in accordance with the provisions of this act.

(B) The board of trustees of the district shall annually prepare a budget and recommend to the county auditor the amount of tax millage, computed to the nearest whole mill, necessary to defray the cost of the budget. As used in this act, "budget" means that amount of the total cost of operating the schools of the district funded by ad valorem taxes on the taxable property within the district and shall not include funds obtained from other sources.

(C) The board may recommend a budget increase not to exceed the dollar amount of the budget in the prior fiscal year plus a percentage of that amount based on the average increase in personal income in Greenville County for the previous three calendar years plus the maintenance increase provided for in subsection (D). The percentage increase in average personal income must be that percentage provided by the State Budget and Control Board based on data provided by the United States Department of Commerce.

(D) In addition to the increase provided for in subsection (C) there may be added to the budget an amount equal to one percent of the school budget for the prior fiscal year to be used for necessary school maintenance.

(E) In the event the board finds it necessary to increase the budget beyond the limits prescribed in this act, it shall submit the question to the Greenville County Legislative Delegation and obtain their approval prior to increasing the levy beyond the permissible limitations.

(F) Notwithstanding the limitation on budget increases prescribed in subsection (C), the district is authorized to expend for school purposes any revenue in excess of the dollar amount of the authorized budget which is collected as a result of the increased assessed value of the property within the district provided the excess is added to the budget for the year in which it is expended to compute the authorized budget increase for the next year.

(G) Notwithstanding other provisions or limitations contained in this Act the amount of tax millage may not be increased by more than four mills in any one budget year unless said increase shall be approved by the certified electors within the district by public referendum. However no referendum shall be required if the proposed increase is necessary due to funding decreases from the State or Federal Government. For purposes of this section, a funding decrease is defined as an actual reduction in the total State and Federal Funds received when compared to the previous year.

SECTION 2. Act 284 of 1989 and Act 251 of 1991 are repealed.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.