Commission Now Crafting Referendum List, Language
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Anderson County’s Capital Project Sales Tax Commission in Anderson County on Monday was tasked with crafting the language for the proposed one-penny sales tax referendum for November.
The commission, with representatives appointed by county council and the county’s municipalities, is working with mayors and town/city councils and feedback from citizens, to verify a priority list of projects.
A final public meeting at the 1428 Pearman Dairy Road Anderson County Office Complex, is scheduled for June 30 at 5:30 p.m. After that meeting, the commission will send their proposals to the county council.
The commission’s current task is to draft the ballot, which will then be considered by Anderson County Council. The final ballot must be approved by the South Carolina Elections Commission before Aug. 15 to appear on the ballot in November.
The commission members are: Joey Black, a civil engineer for Thomas and Hutton with a background in road construction, is one co-chair of the committee; Jamie Cantrell, Principal and Client Advisor at World Insurance Associates LLC in Anderson; Richard Dorn, President at D&B Glass Inc. in Belton, is the other co-chair of the committee; Michael Mance, president of Mance Multimedia in Anderson; Matt Reeves Director of Multifamily Projects at Creative Builders; Trey Thomas, President/COO, Hill Electric Company, Inc., in Anderson./
The Anderson County Roads and Bridges staff, using a variety of data including traffic patterns and an intensive study of every mile of the county’s 1,554 miles of county roads and feedback from municipalities, provided the committee with a draft priority list of roads needing maintenance/repair.
The county uses a normalized Pavement Condition Index (PCI) from 0-100, alongside the International Roughness Index (IRI), to prioritize road repairs” said County Roads and Bridges Manager Jonathan Fox. Roads are often grouped into "super segments" for holistic treatment due to practical and contractual reasons.
The proposed tax would generate an estimated $352 million for roads and bridges identified as in need of work. Currently more than a third of all roads are classified as in failed or failing condition and 57 of the 162 bridges cannot be crossed by fire trucks or school buses.
Anderson County has never had a regular source of funding for roads and bridges, and the backlog of work is estimated at more than $350 million. Currently, road repairs are approximately $1 million per mile. Early attempts to secure funding, including a 2024 referendum were rejected by voters.
Considerations the committee will face include:
Duration of the sales tax. The county is recommending eight years, beginning May 1, 2026.
Ballot content: The ballot must adhere to specific South Carolina statutory language, including stating the tax percentage, duration, and purpose and can list illustrative projects to inform the public without overwhelming them with a comprehensive list (and very long ballot).
Project eligibility: Funds are for capital projects, roads and bridges in this case, and not operational expenses.
Borrowing authorization: The commission can recommend a borrowing authorization to the county council to accelerate project starts, as significant sales tax revenue isn't expected until several months after the proposed Nov. 4 referendum. Current proposals include a bond of up to $20 million borrowing is being considered to kickstart engineering and paving contracts.
Project prioritization and flexibility: The commission can weigh in on project prioritization. A proposed clause allows for minor flexibility in project phasing due to delays (e.g., environmental permits, right-of-way acquisition), but substantial scope or priority changes would require county council approval through public ordinances.
Public education: It was stressed that while the ballot language must be precise and statutorily compliant to avoid legal challenges, educational materials can be used to inform the public about tax exclusions (like groceries and medications) and the immediate benefits of the projects.
Deadlines: The commission needs to submit any revisions to the referendum by Wednesday at noon and project list recommendations by Thursday at noon for finalization by the next Monday meeting.
The commission also solicited written feedback from the public on Monday, and invites others to participate by email here ggsprague@andersoncountysc.org or by calling Gaye Sprague at (864)260-4190.
An interactive map of roads on the county/municipal priority list can be viewed here.
