Richland School District Two decides to keep millage rate the same

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - If you live in the Richland County School District Two, your millage is staying put.

In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday night, the school board opted to keep its current millage rate for the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year.

The Richland School District Two Board of Trustee members went back and forth Tuesday night on a vote that would have had major impacts for homeowners who live in the district.

But in the end, four of the seven members decided to keep the millage the same.

Those who wanted a millage rate increase said the money would go to improvements within the district such as raising teacher salaries and filling teacher vacancies.

Board members who voted to keep millage rate as it is, argued that raising the millage would hurt the local economy, driving businesses away through higher taxes. They pointed to the Village at Sandhills as a place that could be deserted should the millage rates go up. Ultimately, a majority of the members agreed.

Joe Trapp, Richland School District Two’s Board chair, said the board made the right call.

”I think what’s good about this is we all get along quite well after a vote like this,” he said. “I mean, any way you cut it, this is a situation where you got to make tough decisions. Somebody’s gonna do without. Either it’s gonna be business owners or rental property or students. It’s a difficult thing to divide these things up to where everybody benefits. Somebody is gonna have to work a little harder or do without and that’s a tough situation to be in to make these decisions.”

The results of Tuesday night’s vote still need to go to the Richland County Council for final approval on Friday.

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