Swansea’s plan to raise taxes to cover a $75,000 town deficit appears dead.

Former Mayor Jerald Sanders had 2 other Town Council votes to enact a new 2% hospitality tax and raise local property taxes. But the mayor has been indicted on a felony charge and suspended from office.

The 4 remaining council members in the southern Lexington County town of 900 residents are split 2-2 on the tax proposals.

Interim Mayor Woodrow Davis and council member Linda Butler reportedly favor both tax proposals.

Council members Doris Simmons and Mike Luongo voted against the proposals at an initial vote.

Town residents including County Council man Scott Whetstone told the mayor and council that this was not the time for more taxes.

They said people were still struggling in the covid-19 pandemic, Simmons said.

A council meeting to discuss taxes and other issues Monday was cancelled last week, Council man Luongo told the Chronicle.

Simmons, who is white, said she was hurt by racist charges against her and Luongo by Council member Butler, who is black.

On Monday of last week, a Lexington County grand jury indicted the mayor, a Swansea resident and pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in nearby North. Gov. Henry McMaster suspended Sanders from office and appointed Mayor pro tem Woodrow Davis to serve in the interim.

Davis was appointed by the mayor but council members say they did not approve his appointment. The mayor is charged with 1 felony count, embezzlement of town funds less than $10,000, according to Robert Kittle of the SC Attorney General’s office. That charge carries prison time up to 5 years and restitution of money embezzled.

A 2nd count, a misdemeanor, is for misappropriating town funds for his personal use which requires restitution of money taken.

The charges were brought against Sanders by Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office based on the results of a SLED investigation.