Chairman Dan Tripp says the Greenville County Council will, in his words, "vigorously defend the integrity and lawfulness of our budget process." That process includes the first increase in the property tax rate in nearly thirty years.
A lawsuit filed by some state legislators and a non-profit group claims County Council discussed the seven-mill tax hike in a closed-door meeting before it was placed on the agenda, alleging a breach of the federal Freedom-of-Information Act. The suit also claims Greenville County's two-year budget cycle violates the state constitution.
The Council Chairman's email statement calls the legal action a "political disagreement masquerading as a lawsuit."
State Representative Mike Burns, one of the plaintiffs to the lawsuit asking the court to overturn the budget and tax increase, tells the Greenville News says "when the truth comes out, we'll see where we are."
The next council session is Tuesday, September 5th.