COLUMBIA, SC  — A growing group of municipal and county leaders from across South Carolina — including Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, Charleston Mayor William Cogswell, and Summerville Mayor Russ Touchberry — are calling on the General Assembly to pass H.3858 in a formal letter submitted last week to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister. The bill would deliver long-overdue tax relief to more than 300,000 South Carolina boat owners, who currently pay the highest boat property taxes in the United States. Support from the mayors of the state’s capital and its largest coastal city signals how critical and widely supported this reform has become.

“No one should be punished for enjoying the outdoors that make South Carolina special,” said Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, a lead signer of the letter. “This is about fairness to ensure our families can continue to enjoy our natural assets in boats big and small for years to come.”

In the letter submitted last week to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bruce Bannister, officials from cities and counties across the state voiced support for the legislation, which would cut boat taxes by nearly half and eliminate the outdated requirement to title outboard engines.

“These are not the wealthy elite. They are the backbone of our communities,” the letter reads. “Yet they are taxed five to seven times more than their neighbors just across the state line. That’s not just uncompetitive — it’s unjust.”

Signers include leaders from Columbia, Charleston, Summerville, Kershaw County, York County, Allendale County, and Berkeley County, making clear that support for H.3858 spans both geography and party lines.

“In most counties and municipalities, boat property taxes account for less than 1% of total revenue,” the leaders write. “With naturally growing tax bases and the ability to budget responsibly, local governments can absorb this modest reduction without sacrificing core services.”

The letter also points out a critical issue: these taxes don’t fund marine services. They are directed to general funds, not to boat ramps, waterway maintenance, or marine law enforcement.

“In essence, taxpayers are paying for services they don’t receive,” the letter states.

Led by sponsor Rep. Gary Brewer (R-Charleston), Rep. Phillip Lowe (R-Florence), and House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford (D-Richland), H.3858 has more than 50 bipartisan cosponsors and the public support of Governor Henry McMaster.

“This is not about politics. It’s about fairness,” the letter concludes. “Let’s restore trust, keep boats and dollars in South Carolina, and show our citizens that we value their hard work and quality of life.”

H.3858 is currently on the House calendar for debate during the final week of this year’s legislative session. Supporters are encouraged to contact their state representatives and senators to urge its passage.

Read the letter here: https://www.scbfa.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MunicipalLeaderCountyLetterFinal.pdf

Signatories include:

• Mayor Daniel Rickenmann – Columbia
• Mayor William Cogswell – Charleston
• Mayor Russ Touchberry – Summerville
• Councilman Russell Brazell – Kershaw County
• Councilman Brant Tomlinson – Kershaw County
• Councilman Andy Litten – York County
• Councilman Matthew Connelly – Allendale County
• County Supervisor Johnny Cribb – Berkeley County

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Bill Sponsors Include:

Brewer, Pedalino, Lowe, Mitchell, M.M. Smith, B.J. Cox, Chapman, Davis, Sessions, Erickson, Guffey, B.L. Cox, Hewitt, Teeple, Hartnett, Pope, Rutherford, Brittain, Wooten, Guest, Hager, J.L. Johnson, B. Newton, Bailey, Bustos, Gagnon, Gilliam, Herbkersman, Holman, Jordan, Lawson, Martin, Murphy, Robbins, Ballentine, T. Moore, Montgomery, Sanders, Atkinson, Ligon, Gibson, J. Moore, Caskey, Moss, Huff, Beach, Terribile, Kilmartin, Hardee, Taylor, Yow, J.E. Johnson, and Landing.