YORK COUNTY, S.C. — York County and Rock Hill leaders are in disagreement over a tax incentive plan for Octapharma’s HQ project, aimed at easing the tax burden on local schools.
The county hasn’t approved the incentives yet, but Rock Hill City Council pushed back on how the county wants to give them out.
A county proposal would require the city to give up 100% of its tax revenue from the business for decades. It seems the city is taking a stand against that proposal.
“If I were in their shoes, I would also want to express my thoughts about it,” said York County Council member Andy Litten.
Litten is talking about a resolution passed by the Rock Hill City Council. It seems to push back against a plan proposed by York County Council members, making the city of Rock Hill give up 100% of its tax benefit from Switzerland-based company Octapharma for decades.
County council supported the idea in a 5-2 vote last week to make Rock Hill Schools carry less of the burden of the tax breaks. Litten voted no.
“If we wanted to do this, the county should have given up their funds,” Litten said. “I don’t think it’s the county’s job to give up somebody else’s money without discussing it with them.”
In their resolution, Rock Hill leaders said, “Any special source revenue credit shall not exceed 50% for the first 10 years of such payments.”
Litten said the back-and-forth between the county and the city is a bad look.
“This affects how companies will view York County,” he said. “Who wants to go through all these negotiations and have them pulled out from under you at the last minute due to some internal squabble?”
There was no comment so far on Monday from the city or the school district about the situation.
But one school board member said the project would be good for the area and the district.
The county will have a third and final vote on the tax incentives on July 13.
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