Lexington, SC (Paul Kirby) – Lexington Town Councilman Ted Stambolitis has resigned from the council. He had served the town in that position since 2004. In a press release from the town, it said, “Mr. Stambolitis no longer meets the eligibility requirements of a qualified elector set forth in the Town of Lexington Ordinance 34.37.”
For years there has been speculation that he was living in a home that he and his wife built on Pininsula Dr. on the shores of Lake Murray. That home has a Gilbert address. Accusations had been that Stambolitis, the owner of the popular Flight Deck restaurant and the Shoppes at Flight Deck, did not lived in the town even though he owned a home and extensive real estate holdings in Lexington.
Political commentators have said since 2016 that Stambolitis was paying the 4% rate for property taxes on the lake home instead of the 6% that he would pay if the home was a weekend, vacation, or even rental property. That had been denied by Stambolitis who had said that he was still a resident of the town of Lexington where he lived on Raymond Circle. He was also paying the 4% rate there according to published reports. The only thing that was different was who the legal owners of the homes were on the Lexington County tax rolls. One was Stambolitis and his wife and the other was listed as a family trust according to published reports.
In a statement released from the town today, it said that Mayor Steve MacDougall has accepted the resignation of Councilman Ted Stambolitis effective Wednesday, February 28, 2018.
A special election will take place to fill the seat. Full details will be announced once coordinated with the Lexington County Registration and Elections Office.
