CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — Charleston County residents will vote on a transportation sales tax referendum in two months that would cost taxpayers $5.4 billion over 25 years.
The ‘Vote Yes’ campaign launched Monday to inform voters why one group says passing the sales tax is necessary.
Citizens for Safe Roads served as the initiative’s catalyst, calling itself a group of concerned Charleston County residents. They say safety is at the center.
“I’m here because I have four grandkids and they’ll be driving on our roads,” said Keith Summey, the former long-time mayor of North Charleston. “Our roads are not safe. We have to make sure that we offer the best quality of life we can to the next generation.”
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Citizens for Safe Roads said it believes approving the $5.4 billion tax allows Charleston County Council to greenlight projects addressing transit, greenspace and roads.
Members of the group are also fighting for the I-526 extension onto Johns Island, calling it long overdue.
“The region will only continue growing, and we need to keep a plan for the future in mind,” said Brad Taggart, who lives on Johns Island. “A plan that prioritizes the safety of residents, a plan that will alleviate traffic and a plan that protects land from overdevelopment.”
But while some are saying ‘vote yes,’ others are chanting ‘vote no.’
Expanding 526 has become controversial among many county residents. Some argue the project will do the exact opposite of its stated goal.
“They’re trying to sell this as a safety, roads issue and to improve congestion,” said Adam Friend, a James Island resident. “Nowhere in America has a highway system that’s been brought in ever done anything but just create more [congestion].”
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Those planning to ‘vote no’ said they don’t trust the County Council with taxpayers’ dollars seeing the lack of completed projects from a 2016 transportation sales tax.
Friend said there are projects he and others support but he thinks they’ll be pushed aside and only 526 will be guaranteed.
“CARTA, greenspace, they do deserve our attention and do deserve money,” Friend said. “However, the way this boondoggle has been thrown together with the bridge [526 extension] being their priority, unfortunately, they’re handcuffing themselves.”
The up-or-down, all-or-nothing vote was the basis of a recently dismissed lawsuit brought bythe Southern Environmental Law Center and the Coastal Conservation League in late July. It alleged the sales tax referendum would only funnel money to the 526 project while ignoring other needs.
“I’m deeply disappointed in this ruling,” said Glenda Miller, a plaintiff in the case. “The voters of Charleston County deserve to know how their 5.4 billion dollars will be spent, particularly in light of how County Council has not spent previous tax money according to the wishes of the voters.”
Charleston County’s 2024 transportation sales tax referendum will be on the ballot Nov. 5.