FORT MILL Many York County voters will go to the polls Tuesday in a special election to choose a new representative for S.C. House District 48 and to elect members of the Fort Mill School Board.

Here's a look at selected races:

S.C. House District 48

The two candidates for state House District 48 agreed on only one issue during a debate last Monday night at Fort Mill High School: the need to repeal Act 388, South Carolina's property tax reform legislation.

Real estate developer Ralph Norman, Republican candidate for the House District 48 seat, and Democrat Kathy Cantrell, a member of the Clover school board, were at odds on several other issues during the forum sponsored by the York County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Norman and Cantrell said the property tax legislation needs to be changed. The law, passed in 2006, slashed residential property taxes to fund public school operations in exchange for an extra penny on the dollar sales tax. Schools have been hurt by reduced sales tax revenue during the economic downturn.

The pair competes in a Tuesday special election to replace S.C. Rep. Carl Gullick, who resigned this summer to move to Kentucky. The seat represents one of South Carolina's most heavily populated districts. It includes more than 30,000 people in Lake Wylie, northern Rock Hill, Tega Cay and Fort Mill.

On other issues, the pair disagreed sharply. While Norman said he would support a request to the State Infrastructure Bank to fund the Dave Lyle Boulevard Extension, a road connecting Lancaster and York Counties, Cantrell doesn't believe the road is a priority.

"I would think people, especially in Sun City (Carolina Lakes), have so many opportunities available, restaurants and shops, that they'd be content to stay in their area," Cantrell said. "And their drive to Charlotte is a much shorter distance."

Cantrell said she supports increasing the state cigarette tax, with funding to go toward medical care.

Fort Mill School District

Voters in the Fort Mill School District will elect two school board members on Tuesday. Four candidates are in the race.

Here's a look at the candidates:

Wayne Bouldin, 47, senior development engineer. He was the tri-chair of the 2008 Fort Mill School Bond Referendum.

{foliobull}Chris Krieger, 41, of Tega Cay, Bank of America information technology manager.

{foliobull}Michael Johnson, 38, attorney, current school board member.

{foliobull}Marion Davenport, 67, business owner, past candidate for county council.

Tega Cay

Tega Cay voters will elect a mayor and fill two at-large seats on the town board.

Mayoral candidates are Bob Runde and George Sheppard.

Candidates for the two council seats are: John Dervay, Thomas Fitzpatrick, Dottie Hersey, Keen McHugh, Stephen Perkins and Katie Shive.

Subscribe to The Charlotte Observer & Earn Miles.

Disclaimer