Indian Land voters wanted better roads, but county voters turned it down. Now what?
For drivers frustrated with the constant traffic in Indian Land, the road to some relief just got a whole lot longer.
After voters turned down a new transportation tax , Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes spoke with county administration Wednesday morning to determine what comes next. Specifically, the conversation centered on what might happen on the busy U.S. 521 corridor in Indian Land.
"It basically means it's just put off," Carnes said.
Almost 53% of voters countywide opted not to start a new one-cent sales tax for roads . Election day results are unofficial until they're certified.
The tax proposal was similar to Pennies for Progress in York County, where voters approved their fifth road tax campaign since 1997. The Lancaster County program was expected to create $405 million over 15 years. Much of that money would've gone to widening or intersection improvements on Charlotte Highway.
Carnes doesn't see a new transportation tax vote showing up on ballots for at least two years. That type of referendum has to be on a November election. Council will discuss its options during a retreat in January.
"We need to step back and assess the data," Carnes said. "And maybe start over again and get the public involved. Get feedback on it."
Indian Land votes for traffic fix
Had the sales tax passed, the county likely would've put $60 million toward what could have been a $150 million set of improvements on Charlotte Highway. The tax could've provided match money to go after federal or state infrastructure bank funding to cover most of the work.
The plan found support in Indian Land. The county's 11 northernmost precincts, from Van Wyck north to the North Carolina state line, each voted in favor. They ranged from 51% to 62% support. All 25 precincts south of Van Wyck voted against the new tax.
The northern 11 precincts collected 62% of all the "yes" votes countywide. They did, however, bring in more than 42% of all the "no" votes.
Carnes believed large geographic areas of the county weren't likely to support the tax, but hoped the higher voter turnout in the panhandle would overcome the gap.
Economy, crowded ballot part of 'no' vote
Several similar ballot questions statewide failed, something Carnes sees as a trend.
"I think it had somewhat to do with the economy," he said. "And maybe we didn't do as good a job educating people."
Carnes spoke after the election with Lancaster County school board member Melvin Stroble, who pushed a $588 million bond referendum voters also turned down on Tuesday. Both agreed national economic unrest that drove voters to the presidential polls made a difference.
"Economy ranked No. 1 (nationally)," Stroble said. "And we saw that in our community here, too."
A recent county tax reassessment may have contributed to voter concern, Carnes said. Both Carnes and Stroble saw a challenge with the transportation and school decisions — about $1 billion combined — appearing on the same ballot.
The school bond had wider disapproval, at almost 60% of voters against it.
"When somebody votes no for one tax, it's hard for them to vote yes for another one, for a lot of people," Carnes said.
Another attempt at transportation tax likely
The transportation tax would've given Lancaster County the highest sales tax in South Carolina , matching three other counties at 9%.
The statewide base rate is 6%. Lancaster County has a local option sales tax and a capital use sales tax, bringing its rate to 8%.
One of those taxes funds large projects like a law enforcement facility or major park. The other provides for county services to help offset property taxes. The idea is that county residents pay sales tax but so does every visitor to the county who buys taxable goods.
Residents may not understand that one penny tax they pay lowers their property tax bills and uses others to help, Carnes said. If they only see it as a higher tax rate, he understands why people might not support another new tax.
York County's first Pennies program in 1997 only got 51% support, but the four votes since to continue that tax have easily passed with more than 70% support each. Carnes had hoped to edge out a win in Lancaster County that voters could then see the value of as road work was completed.
York and Lancaster county road officials say relying only on the state Transportation Department to fix or widen roads would mean far less construction than a penny tax provides. Which is why, at some point, Lancaster County voters are likely to see one on the ballot again.
"We can either live with what we've got or we can all partner together to do something," Carnes said.
