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Beaufort County considers 2026 'capital projects' penny sales tax, outlines commission, timeline and project list approach
Summary
County staff and councilors discussed a proposed 2026 capital‑projects penny sales tax, recommending a six‑member commission, allocation by 2020 Census population and a ballot with specific, finite projects (public safety campus, detention expansion, SC‑170 corridor). Council directed staff to continue planning and outreach.
Beaufort County officials on Tuesday discussed plans to pursue a 2026 capital‑projects penny sales tax that would fund a predefined list of projects across municipalities and unincorporated areas.
The presenter told the council the study team was tasked to gather lessons from other counties and recommend a structure that avoids the “bucket of money” problem that helped sink past referendums. The presenter said the law allows an eight‑year, one‑penny sales tax and that “everything is clearly listed on a ballot” — a point the presenter and multiple council members stressed as central to restoring public trust.
Why it matters: proponents say a capital penny can fund large, long‑range needs — including a consolidated public‑safety campus, a phased detention‑center expansion and targeted transportation projects in the SC‑170 corridor — without increasing property tax. Opponents and some council members said the county must be precise about…
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