Who actually pays for Johns Island's lopsided property tax system?

A claim that Johns Island's property tax system is lopsided is not something a verified source confirms in the specific way the question assumes, though it is true that South Carolina taxes owner-occupied primary residences differently than second homes, rentals and commercial property. That structural difference means an investor or second-home owner on Johns Island generally carries a higher relative tax burden on the same market value than a full-time resident does. Whether that structure is fair is a policy debate, not a fact this answer can settle. Brian Beatty can explain how that classification actually affects a specific Johns Island property's bill.