interesting problem for some nc/sc residents near the border.
http://www.wistv.com/story/23822990...ffles-some-north-and-south-carolina-residents
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
It was first charted at the request of King Charles II using trees and stone markers, but almost 300 years later, the border between North and South Carolina hasn't held up so well.
That means some people who live in the area may live in a different state than they thought!
Officials from both states resurveyed up to 330 miles of the border, and several folks have moved into completely different states.
Lewis Effrin owns a gas station on Lake Wylie, but this resurvey has put him in North Carolina
"Our business is going to be destroyed once the state line is moved," said Effrin.
It might just be a line on a map, but that line represents strict differences for business owners in regulations and taxation on gas, alcohol, and even fireworks.
"These three items alone account for almost 70 percent of revenue generated at this location," said Effrin.
For others, like Dr. Red Berlinger, it means changing their ID, voting, and paying taxes in a new state.
"If you look at the re-established boundary line, it goes through my house," said Berlinger.
"Can homes be sold? Can children go to school where they're familiar and liked? Is college an unaffordable dream instead of a good investment," said Effrin.
So why change the boundary at all? We all seem to have a idea of where it should be.
"Over the years, the states didn't maintain the boundary, so over time the trees were lost, and the counties use the best available data and resources to determine where the state boundary was," said Gary Thompson with the North Carolina Geodetic Survey.
While the clarified boundary has been approved, both states are now tasked with passing legislation to make the adjustment go smoothly for the roughly 170 property owners involved.
"It's dealing with a variety of taxes, income taxes, property taxes, fuel taxes," said Emery Smith with the South Carolina attorney general's office.
Even with the extra legislative consideration, people who live in the border lands wonder why its all necessary at all.
"Just leave well enough alone," said North Carolina resident Lori Maxwell Parker. "It's been working all these years, why change it now. Just why change it now?"
http://www.wistv.com/story/23822990...ffles-some-north-and-south-carolina-residents
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
It was first charted at the request of King Charles II using trees and stone markers, but almost 300 years later, the border between North and South Carolina hasn't held up so well.
That means some people who live in the area may live in a different state than they thought!
Officials from both states resurveyed up to 330 miles of the border, and several folks have moved into completely different states.
Lewis Effrin owns a gas station on Lake Wylie, but this resurvey has put him in North Carolina
"Our business is going to be destroyed once the state line is moved," said Effrin.
It might just be a line on a map, but that line represents strict differences for business owners in regulations and taxation on gas, alcohol, and even fireworks.
"These three items alone account for almost 70 percent of revenue generated at this location," said Effrin.
For others, like Dr. Red Berlinger, it means changing their ID, voting, and paying taxes in a new state.
"If you look at the re-established boundary line, it goes through my house," said Berlinger.
"Can homes be sold? Can children go to school where they're familiar and liked? Is college an unaffordable dream instead of a good investment," said Effrin.
So why change the boundary at all? We all seem to have a idea of where it should be.
"Over the years, the states didn't maintain the boundary, so over time the trees were lost, and the counties use the best available data and resources to determine where the state boundary was," said Gary Thompson with the North Carolina Geodetic Survey.
While the clarified boundary has been approved, both states are now tasked with passing legislation to make the adjustment go smoothly for the roughly 170 property owners involved.
"It's dealing with a variety of taxes, income taxes, property taxes, fuel taxes," said Emery Smith with the South Carolina attorney general's office.
Even with the extra legislative consideration, people who live in the border lands wonder why its all necessary at all.
"Just leave well enough alone," said North Carolina resident Lori Maxwell Parker. "It's been working all these years, why change it now. Just why change it now?"
I would sue. Someone in history designated that property as one state/county "officially". It's not like the people in the neighborhood decided. The government had to officially make the designation. If they say it was wrong, then someone screwed up. For most people, it's not a big deal. But for a business, it's a huge deal and he has a legitimate law suit on his hands and any law office would be drooling to take it.