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Hardeeville mayor and Jasper County Councilman announce new 'reality tax'

April 24, 2010

Hardeeville, SC—Mayor Bronco Bostick of tiny Hardeeville, SC and Jasper County Council Chairman George Hood announced a new “reality tax” at a joint news conference on Friday. Mayor Bostick and Councilman Hood said that the new tax would only be levied on people from gated communities.

Mayor Bostick said that proceeds from the new tax, expected to be more than $150 million, would be used to help build a GIGANTIC shopping mall in the headwaters of the Okatie Estuary, which is outside tiny Hardeeville’s jurisdiction.

Jasper County Council Chairman George Hood said that the reality tax has been talked about for years and naysayers should have acted sooner. “We want to move forward,” he said.

Part of the tax plan includes taxing bottled stormwater that will be sold in high-end stores in the new mega shopping mall under the brand name "Gotcha Water". Gotcha is a subsidiary of Gucci.

Mayor Bostick predicted that the tax revenue from Gotcha Water alone would exceed $100 million. The mayor said “We expect Gotcha Water to be a HUGE success, given the large local population who have lost touch with reality.” Mayor Bostick and Councilman Hood said that the remainder of the funds needed to build the mega shopping mall would come from the school budget.

Mayor Gary Hodges from nearby Ridgeland, SC, which is even tinier than tiny Hardeeville, SC, announced his unconditional support for the new tax. “We look forward to the BILLIONS of dollars that will be raised by the new tax, and the MILLIONS of new jobs that Gotcha Water will create.”

Hardeeville City Councilman Bill Horton said he is glad the three bodies are finally coming together —by working with the county and Ridgeland he hopes to help Jasper County grow. “A community has to have some growth,” he said. “We have to have a reason for young people to stay. They are leaving in droves.”

Jasper County Planning Director David Jirousek announced a new county satellite office. Jirousek said that they expect to launch the new satellite office soon from the new Ridgeland Space Center.

Hardeeville City Manager Ted Felder discussed a “green” industrial center that could bring 65 MILLION new jobs to Hardeeville and said that while Hardeeville “is not growing as fast as we thought,” it’s still one of the fasted growing areas in the Southeast, with Reflections doing “pretty well.” Felder also announced that Hardeeville is negotiating with the Jolly Green Giant to manage the new project. “We believe that he has the credibility and the stature that we need to make this project a HUGE success” said Felder.

Officials from neighboring Beaufort County, and spokespersons for DHEC, the Carolina Coastal League and the South Carolina Policy Council were unavailable for comment.
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