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<p><strong>Lee Scott: Gone but not forgotten</strong></p>
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<p>A year ago this month The Island News lost its award-winning humor writer Lee Scott. She even wrote her own obituary for the paper.</p>
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<p>At the time of her passing I sent a letter to the paper explaining my friendship with Lee.</p>
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<p>Before Lee passed away she asked Christine, Cindy and I to continue to celebrate her birthday on November 14. The four of us always celebrated our birthdays together.</p>
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<p>As promised, we went out to lunch on her birthday. The waitress came over with a bottle of wine and said this is from Lee Scott. We looked at each other and thought that Lee’s daughter had arranged for this bottle of wine. We were informed that Lee herself had ordered the bottle. As we told the waitress the story with the four of us always sharing birthdays, many tears were shed for our dear friend. During lunch we shared many of our great times had with Lee.</p>
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<p>A friend of mine gave me a “friendship quote for the day” book by Helen Exley. I found the perfect quote that describes my friendship with Lee.</p>
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<p>“Friends are together when they are separated, they are rich when they are poor, strong when they are weak, and a thing even harder to explain, they live on after they have died.”</p>
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<p>Traditions don’t end easily, so rest assured on November 14 that Christine, Cindy and I will have our birthday lunch in honor of our dear friend Lee Scott.</p>
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<p><em>– Nancy O’Connor, </em><br><em>St. Helena Island</em><br></p>
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<p><strong>Don’t let them steal your vote and wallet</strong></p>
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<p>Is anyone paying attention to what is happening? You are about to lose your vote and your wallet!</p>
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<p>OK, let me explain, the people who process and adjust your taxes, you vote for. You get to choose how they do it, by voting them in and out. You get to choose, by whom you elect, how much you pay. Guess what, the Referendum on the Ballot will steal your vote and voice. Do you want that? If you do, just hand them your wallet. I’d like to keep mine.</p>
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<p>Yes, County Council wants to stop you for voting for the County Treasurer and Auditor. You will lose two votes and your voices. What does that mean? County Council will have unrestricted ability to determine your taxes! That is TYRANNY and THEFT of your money. They will do it behind closed doors and lie to you.</p>
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<p>Now, They are not done yet! There is another Referendum.</p>
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<p>They want your wallet! They want to raise the Sales Tax, but, wait, in the next five minutes, they will lower your property taxes, as if. Here’s the kicker, it doesn’t give any relief to you if you rent. Yes, you pay the landlord’s property tax every month. There is no trigger to help you. Will you vote for that?</p>
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<p>Worse yet, it hits EVERYTHING you buy. A loaf of bread, a quart of milk? Yes, basic food, car registration, and boats. You go to the store, drop your kid to day care, get your hair cut, any pays Business Property Taxes. You pay those taxes every time you enter the store, and on and on. Everything. Businesses only remit, what they collect from you.</p>
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<p>For what? A Landlord gets a rebate? A few hundred dollars at our expense of thousands of dollars a year? Really? How does that help you?</p>
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<p>Oh, but the tourist will pay the most. Did anyone tell them the pandemic has kept most tourists away? Where’s the windfall?</p>
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<p>Final question, did you know, at the height of the pandemic, County Council voted themselves a raise, while you were losing your job or getting laid off? Talk about tone deaf to YOUR needs!</p>
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<p>No matter the political aisle you sit on, DON’T let your vote be stolen or your wallet emptied!</p>
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<p>Vote NO! This November 2 to Referendum No. 1 and No. 2. Say NO!</p>
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<p><em>– Ann Ubelis, </em><br><em>Beaufort TEA Party Chair</em></p>
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