2 days ago
Lancaster voters to see another sales tax referendum for roads plan. What we know
Lancaster County is a step closer to a new 1% sales tax to fund roads, but only if voters approve it this time.
Lancaster County Council voted 5-2 on Monday to put a sales-tax-for-roads proposal back on the ballot this November. It'll take two more council votes to finalize the decision.
Last November, more than 52% of county voters rejected a new tax for roads. That proposal would've taxed sales for up to 15 years and generated up to $405 million.
Now, the county would ask voters for a tax that would last 10 years or generate $253 million.
All council members want the road funding option, but Councilman Steve Harper and Councilman Billy Mosteller had concerns about the timing. 'This is much needed,' Harper said. 'My biggest concern is eight months ago, my voters told me no on this. I just think it's one year too soon.'
Mosteller has concerns that if county voters turn down the proposal this fall, it might never pass.
County officials see the sales tax as a committed funding source for large road projects that doesn't exist there now, similar to the voter-approved Pennies for Progress program in York County.
'Our citizens said no in November, and it needs more time for planning and educating our citizens on what council is trying to do,' Mosteller said.
With Lancaster County one of the highest-growth areas in the Charlotte and Southeast regions, though, other council members have concerns about waiting. Nearly half of voters last November voted for the new tax.
'They've been waiting on something like this for a very long time,' said Councilman Stuart Graham.
The sales tax rate in Lancaster County would increase from 8% to 9% if voters approve the ballot question in November. The proposed road improvement list could change before the ballot is approved, but the $253 million figure wouldn't.
The plan would put $98 million to major road widening like U.S. 521 and Henry Harris Road. Nine intersection improvements would cost $38 million. Another $20 million would go to four roundabouts, two of them on Shiloh Unity Road.
The tax would generate $5 million for administration costs and $2 million for greenways and sidewalks.
'A program like this we would probably have to add on some more staff and have a manager of the project,' said Jeff Catoe, county public works director.
The remaining $90 million would go to repaving. A proposed list has portions of 40 county or state roads, 51 in Lancaster, 32 in Kershaw and eight in Heath Springs.
The ballot would have two related questions.
One would ask voters if the county could charge the new tax, and the other would ask if the county could borrow money against that tax revenue if it passes. Borrowing would allow road work to start sooner than waiting for 10 years of tax collections would.
November's ballot also would state which roads would be improved if the tax passes. Last fall, there were separate road plans that the tax would cover, but it wasn't attached to the ballot.
'We tried to be much more overt about what the projects are,' said County Administrator Dennis Marstall.
A new tax campaign will have to overcome a stark split in support.
Both the roads and a separate school bond that failed last November had proposals that focused heavily on high-growth Indian Land. The panhandle part of U.S. 521 got the bulk of attention, and would again this November.
All 11 voting precincts north of Van Wyck opted to approve a new tax for roads last year. All 25 precincts south of Van Wyck voted against it. In the northernmost precinct, more than 63% voted in favor. In the three southernmost precincts, 67%-70% voted against.
With a presidential election last year, voter turnout was much higher than it's likely to be this fall. Nearly 55,000 ballots were cast in November, for a nearly 80% voter turnout.
The county continues to look for other road funding options in Indian Land.
A recent application to the South Carolina Transportation Infrastructure Bank asks for $40 million. The new road tax, county officials say, could provide money the county could use to attract other funds through grant matches or partnerships.
