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Beaufort County committee hears details of $950 million sales-tax referendum and creates citizen oversight subcommittee
Summary
Committee received a detailed briefing on a proposed 10-year, $950 million sales-tax package for transportation, green space, resiliency and municipal allocations and voted to recommend creation of a citizen oversight subcommittee to screen applicants if voters approve the referendum.
Beaufort County’s Facilities and Safety Committee on Monday heard a detailed presentation on a proposed 10-year sales-tax referendum and recommended the council create a citizen oversight subcommittee to screen applicants if the referendum passes.
A presenter told the committee the November 5 referendum would fund a 10-year, $950 million program assembled by two citizen-led committees and refined in public hearings and council votes. The proposal includes municipal set-asides — $30 million for Hilton Head, $30 million for Bluffton, $10 million for Port Royal, $10 million for the City of Beaufort and $10 million for northern Beaufort County — and a set of countywide program “buckets,” including $50 million for green belts, $80 million for mass transit, $100 million for safety and traffic-flow projects, $80 million for dirt-road paving, $50 million for resurfacing, $20 million for pathways and $55 million for resiliency and emergency-evacuation routes.
Committee members pressed staff on contingencies if voters reject the measure. The presenter outlined three alternatives discussed internally: (1) do nothing, (2) fund some needs with property-tax increases, or (3) consider placing a sales tax question on a later general election ballot. The presenter also described prioritization criteria — CIP inclusion, grant matches and documented stakeholder needs — and said a citizen-led oversight committee would review and rank project requests if the referendum is approved.
Committee member Tab (first reference in committee minutes as the motion sponsor) moved that the committee recommend County Council authorize the chairman to form a subcommittee to review applications and nominate three county members for the citizen oversight committee, that staff create a web portal and an application for resident applicants, and that council members encourage qualified residents to apply. The motion was seconded and advanced to full council without recorded objection at committee.
Why it matters: The package aims to accelerate transportation and resiliency projects and to create local oversight for how revenues are spent. If voters approve it, the oversight committee would have a formal role in prioritizing projects and monitoring budgets. If the referendum fails, staff warned there are limited immediate alternatives other than tax increases or reintroducing a similar question later.
The committee’s action sends the oversight-committee recommendation to County Council for consideration; any subsequent appointments and the referendum outcome will determine whether the committee is seated and begins work.
