Beaufort County penny tax committee asks Bluffton to weigh in on top projects ahead of November vote
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Summary
Lisa Salt, chair of Beaufort County's Transportation Penny Tax Advisory Committee, briefed Bluffton council on a proposed 1% transportation sales-tax referendum to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot and asked the town to identify its top five local priorities from a countywide project list.
Lisa Salt, chair of the Beaufort County Transportation Penny Tax Advisory Committee, told Bluffton Town Council on March 10 that the county is preparing a proposed 1% transportation sales-tax referendum for the November ballot and is soliciting municipal input on top local projects.
"We are putting it on the ballot in November," Salt said, describing a ranking process the committee is using to prioritize projects countywide. She said the county's prior penny programs (1998, 2006 and 2018) have funded nearly $300 million in infrastructure, including major corridor and sidewalk projects, but noted some 2018 projects remain in design or on hold. "They are committed to completing the projects that are on the 18 list," Salt said.
Salt highlighted five projects that affect Bluffton — including a roundabout on U.S. 278/State Route 46 approaching the Jasper County line and Bluffton Parkway improvements — and asked the town to provide prioritized feedback so the county can refine its year‑1 proposals. She emphasized the committee will separate completed 2018 projects from new 2026 proposals and that municipalities cannot "advocate" but may educate the public about the referendum after May; the committee plans outreach and an education campaign.
Council members discussed whether to identify a top-five list and debated including smaller, early-delivery projects to show near-term results. Council also raised concerns about jurisdictional coordination because some high-profile projects cross municipal and county lines; Salt said the committee expects to coordinate with Jasper County and other partners where projects cross borders.
Salt said the committee will post minutes, project details and an interactive map at beaufortcountypenny.com and compile a sortable spreadsheet of submissions to help rank projects. She urged council to provide feedback before the committee's final municipal presentation and noted county council planned several readings to get the referendum to the state by August.
The update was informational; the council did not take a formal vote but discussed next steps for municipal input to the county.
