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Beaufort County engineering reports $146M in collections to date and outlines next steps for 2018 transportation penny projects
Summary
Staff told the Public Facilities and Safety Committee that the 2018 transportation sales‑tax program has collected approximately $146 million to date, has expended about $20.56 million, and that staff will proceed with multiple design, right‑of‑way and public‑meeting steps next year; staff also explained why a few vendors still appear to charge the tax after the collection period ended.
Beaufort County engineering staff updated the Public Facilities and Safety Committee Nov. 18 on the status of projects funded by the 2018 transportation sales‑tax referendum and described near‑term public‑meeting and right‑of‑way activity.
Program and finance manager Bridal Bishop said the referendum was structured as a multi‑year program with allocations across corridors and categories. Bishop reported cumulative collections and said the county has received significant overcollection, which will be allocated to the projects approved in the ballot question. Bishop told the committee that the program has expended $20,564,657.83 and that roughly $126 million remains available for allocation to the set of projects on the ballot.
Bishop and consultant Jennifer Bragg described how intergovernmental agreements with SCDOT guide project design and construction when county work touches state rights‑of‑way. They emphasized that many projects remain in design or right‑of‑way acquisition, and that construction schedules depend on right‑of‑way acquisition and permitting (wetland permits and land‑disturbance permits can lengthen timelines).
The staff noted that some businesses have not yet removed the transportation penny from point‑of‑sale registers even though the county has stopped authorizing new collections; that is a vendor‑side issue—state DOR notifies vendors when a collection period ends, but businesses must change their own registers. Bishop said the county posts quarterly collection and expenditure reports on the Beaufort County Penny website and provides press releases.
Committee members asked staff to improve outreach about FEMA Helene assistance and other disaster programs—particularly to rural and low‑Internet communities—and asked for lists of vendors still charging the tax in each district so members can notify them. Staff said they lack vendor‑by‑district lists but will work on more outreach and faster public notifications. Bishop said remaining funds will be allocated after the county observes two consecutive quarters of zero collection or otherwise confirms the end of additional receipts.
What happens next: Staff will continue quarterly reporting, hold multiple public meetings in early 2025 for projects entering right‑of‑way or construction phases, and return to the committee as projects move into right‑of‑way acquisition and construction authorization.
