York County’s School Board just voted this morning 5-2 to support the county’s amendment to the Octapharma FILOT which would essentially change the 3-way split of taxes between the City of Rock Hill, Rock Hill Schools, and York County to just a 2-way split between Rock Hill Schools and York County.
This Swiss pharmaceutical giant aims to build on Rock Hill’s former Panther site. The project would create 1,500 new jobs for our region and an overall $1.5 billion investment.
This morning’s vote creates fresh drama, given that the 5-2 vote simply affirms the county’s change that the City of Rock Hill is calling unlawful. The amendment takes $43 million away from the City of Rock hill over 30 years, and it would send $40 million extra to schools over that time frame.
Christi Cox rushed the final county meeting last week to force the amendment. She changed the location at the last minute. Chaos erupted during the session. Councilman Tom Audette proposed a fair compromise. It gave schools even more money while protecting the city split. Cox’s allies rejected it 4-3.
The city’s attorney fired a strong warning last week. Paul W. Dillingham called the change unlawful. He said it violates Rock Hill’s prior resolution. That resolution required the city’s proportional share. Breaking it voids the city’s consent immediately.
The multi-county park needs Rock Hill’s approval. Without it, special tax breaks disappear. A separate Panthers-era agreement may also block incentives. The city holds key consent rights there too.
This fiasco reveals Cox’s troubling leadership pattern. She championed the Panthers headquarters early on. Her public blame game with Rock Hill helped sink it. She ignored a unanimous 5-0 zoning ruling against Silfab Solar. Permits issued anyway near Flint Hill Elementary. Hazardous chemicals and spills followed. Residents still worry about safety.
Transparency problems compound the damage. Cox canceled multiple meetings with Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys. Collaboration gave way to confrontation under her watch.
The stakes could not be higher. Failure means losing $1.5 billion in investment. York County forfeits 1,200 high-paying jobs. Schools, roads, and services face decades of lost revenue.
Rock Hill City Council will now hold the next vote on the Octapharma deal – a vote that could finalize or kill the deal entirely.
