New numbers on progress of penny sales tax – The Post and Courier

The referendum was first adopted by voters in 2008. Then, the extra was renewed in 2014, and voters approved it again in 2022 with two questions on the ballot.

Question No. 1 asked voters if they wish to fund $587 million across seven years for financing the costs of highways, roads, streets, bridges and other transportation-related projects, facilities and drainage.

Question No. 2 asked voters if they favored issuing $89 million in County Obligation Bonds from the special sales and use tax to fund the completion of such projects.

The Berkeley County Council members received an update Monday, March 11, about how the millions raised for roads and infrastructure are being spent and what's ahead.

The money raised from the tax has gone up since its inception in 2008. According to the information provided to the council, $147 million was generated between 2008 and 2016. Since 2016, $274 million has been collected.

Since then, projects have included work on Clements Ferry Road, the widening of Highway 176, and numerous resurfacing, dirt-to-pave and intersection projects.

More extensive projects include the Henry Brown Boulevard extension phases, the widening of College Park Road, the long-awaited $20 million Railroad Avenue extension in Hanahan and the Parkway extension.

The county has approved 33 miles of resurfacing work, much-needed work on Black Tom Road and phase 1 of improvements to Jedburg Road in 2024, to name a few. There is a lot of money to spend and plenty of projects.

According to the county, things cost much more than they did in 2008. Fifteen years ago, the cost per mile for road work was $100,000. Now, it is roughly $360,000.

The council quickly pointed out that while additional money is being raised, the sum is offset by the rising cost of the work. However, the penny is not painful for residents and elected leaders, considering where the county would be if it never existed.

"The One-Cent Sales Tax Program has had a tremendous impact on the county and community," said Berkeley County Supervisor Johnny Cribb in an interview about the tax. "The better question is: 'Where would we be without it?'"

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New numbers on progress of penny sales tax - The Post and Courier