SC Rip's Off Citizens (Columbia, Fountain Inn: home owners insurance, how much, property tax)

[geoffandliz]

My electric bill was $85 last month, and gas bill was $90. That's about an average month for me here in my 1900 sq ft home. Liz

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by geoffandliz

My electric bill was $85 last month, and gas bill was $90. That's about an average month for me here in my 1900 sq ft home. Liz

Aha! I feel better now. I probably will buy a smaller home. I realize if I move from an apartment to a house, my bill will increase, but I was estimating $150 a month for utilities. What does the average water/sewer bill run? I know there is a big difference if you have a septic, since my water bill was $12-$15 a month and increased to $40-$45 when the city put in the sewer.

[guardrail22]

I am total elec, 2000sf and use Duke's easy monthly payment. The rate is about $61.00 per 1000 kwh. I pay $137 per month to run 4 ton HP, HWH, and all other items.

[geoffandliz]

I would average my water bill about $50 a month for a family of 4 who all take long showers. Liz

[NancyM]

Be glad you don't live in NJ. Property taxes here are like $9,000/yr on a 3 bed/2 bath 1600 sq ft home. State taxes are 7%. It's ridiculous here. People who have paid off their homes can't afford to stay because they can't afford to pay the property taxes.

I'm moving to Columbia in a month. I CANNOT wait. It will be like low cost of living heaven for me.

[transplantct]

I can live with high and low taxes on various things. If you like where you live, you're more apt to accept things if you're not financially strapped.

The only tax issue I have about SC is the food tax. Food is a necessity in life and I feel it's unfair to those who are struggling to make ends meet. It doesn't seem morally correct to tax something you need to survive. A few bucks may not be a lot to some, but to many it is.

[transplantct]

I also forgot to add that in a state that has a larger (than most states) lower income population, this seems exceptionally wrong.

[eureka1]

Taxes on vehicles generate the most EMOTION of any tax. Out here in California Ahnold lowered the taxes on SUV's to get himself elected - $4B taken away from schools and social services . Now we've got a $14B deficit and he's still posing as a phony environmentalist. The property taxes in SC seem pretty reasonable. I pay $1700 on a typical unremodeled 3/2 in the 'burbs based on 1993 value. Is the "food tax" strictly on food or is it a general retail sales tax?

[transplantct]

I think it's a general retail sales tax since clothing is also taxed.

I'm not arguing that most people get the most emotional about car taxes, only that taxing a necessity like food doesn't seem right even though it's lumped into a general retail sales tax. I think it hurts those more in lower income bracket.

[justNancy]

I think a lot of how we feel is based on where we lived before. For example, although the cost of living was higher, when I moved from New Hampshire to Florida it floored me when I had to pay sales tax on so many things, even services. When I lived in NH there was no state income tax (on wages) or sales tax, so a 99 cent bottle of Suave shampoo was 99 cents at the register. Now that I've lived in 2 states without a state income tax, I will probably notice the big chunk taken out of any future paycheck. I grew up in Massachusetts (fondly called Taxachusetts) but 8 years in NH clouded my memory.