John Cloyd is the tax assessor for Richland County. He says the problem lies within the way taxes are levied on properties. Properties sold more recently are taxed on their sale price. Homes that were sold before act 388 took effect are taxed at their most recent assessment value.

"If all of the properties are valued in a neighborhood at $100,000, and those were 2004 values, and someone buys a house for $130,000 in 2009, then they're assessed at $130,000," said Cloyd. "That's not fair and equitable taxation."

So folks like the Bennetts who bought property in the past two years are getting hit with the heaviest increases.

Plus, 2009 is a reassessment year for Richland County. Cloyd says because of the property value cap, more than $1 billion of property is going untaxed.

Now, let's look at who represents them in the statehouse: Democratic lawmakers Joe Neal, James E. Smith, Jr., Chris Hart, Todd Rutherford, Leon Howard, Joe McEachern, Anton Gunn, and Dr. Jimmy Bales. Republican lawmakers are Nathan Ballentine, James Harrison and Joan Brady.

So, let's see how the vote went when Act 388 came up. Session 166 (2005-06) has one on record. The bill passed 86-31. Some of these people did not vote (or were not in office), but let's see the votes of those who were.

The nays? James E. Smith, Todd Rutherford, Joe Neal, Leon Howard - all Democratic. The yeas? James Harrison, Joan Brady and Democratic lawmaker Dr. Jimmy Bales.

If you want to put blame on the people who increased your taxes - who said they wouldn't - then I suggest you look at the Republicans who control the state. Or DINOs. Your choice. They both play the parts. Republicans have always championed low/no taxes. Funny, they creep in... Democratic legislators know what taxes are meant for, what surpluses are meant for, and what revenue is meant for. It's not meant to blow all at one time.

Why blame DINOs? Because we actually have a few who sided with Republicans on this. I guess they had to cater to people who are primarily rich in their districts. I would like to see some of them explain it. They have their reasons. Hardcore Democratic activists have theirs as well.

Some say it's a tax swap. Please. Some property isn't even being taxed. No money - revenue - is coming in. Others, however, get the butt-end of the stick. That's not a swap, that's a beating.

Either way, public education and the middle class got screwed in favor of the rich.

Blaming the minority party in state that has been in that position for decades is like saying 'please excuse us from our mistakes, look at theirs before you call us out.' Sure, we have Democratic lawmakers who cater to specific people because when you are in the elected office you hold you do the best you can for all that put you there.

But Republicans have done the most damage to this state with their laissez-faire, free-market whirlwind. They have caused the large shortfalls in the state budget. They have produced the double-digit jobless numbers. They have a governor who is facing 37 ethics charges, hoping to have a legislature focus on that - rather than the important issues at hand.

Do the math. It's not hard to see that a majority of free-market, selfish thinkers care nothing about you.