We Already PaySo Why Do We Have to Pay More?

The Beaufort County Council recently passed an Ordinance to levy a Beaufort County Law Enforcement Service Charge and Uniform User Fee on the annual property tax bills of Hilton Head Island residents and business owners. This charge will generate $4.4 million more in revenue for Beaufort County on top of what Hilton Head Island property owners already pay for law enforcement services.

This is an unfair and inequitable fee that will be implemented and collected from Hilton Head Island residents if not stopped. No other municipality in Beaufort County will have this fee imposed upon their property owners.

We have utilized the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) prior to and after Hilton Head Island's incorporation as a Town in 1983. To be clear, the BCSO does an excellent job on Hilton Head Island and provides a range of law enforcement services for our community including 911 response to crime and assistance for help, general patrol, beach patrol, event security and more. These are services our current tax dollars pay for.