Colleton Co. sets aside over $40M for projects from penny sales tax

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Colleton County has set aside tens of millions of dollars that will be funded through the recently passed penny sales tax from November 2022.

The sales tax covers a total of 11 projects throughout the county, and two of those projects could be at the recreation complex. Officials are looking to add the first public swimming pool in the county as well as a new gym and activity room.

Councilmember Scott Biering said $40.3 million is the estimated entirety of the penny sales tax, which will run for the next seven years.

The projects also include two new emergency operations centers – one for the county and one for Edisto Beach. It also includes a potential new building for the county’s animal services, phase 3 of Walterboro’s I-95 business loop as well as community centers and parks.

Biering says the officials tried to hit as many projects across the county with this round of funding.

“Nobody wants to pay extra money. A sales tax is a sales tax, but there’s a lot of needs a rural county like ours has,” Biering said, “so what this does is defer or share the cost of people coming through our county off I-95. People coming in for tourism in the county. They’re bringing in money from outside the county to help us address our needs, so in my opinion, it’s a win-win. We’re getting some of the things we need, and we’re sharing the costs with the people who are traveling through our county.”

Biering said there’s no timeline to these projects yet but added when they’re ready to move forward, the money will be there waiting.

A full list of projects can be found below:

• New Colleton County Animal Services Facility
• Veteran’s Park
• Town of Smoaks – Johnsville/Smoaks Community Center
• Colleton County Emergency Operations Center
• Colleton County Recreation Center Additions (Pool, new gym and activity rooms)
• Town of Cottageville Park Expansion
• Town of Williams – Water Infrastructure improvements
• City of Walterboro – I-95 Business Loop Project Phase 3
• Edisto Municipal Emergency Operations Center and Town Hall Complex Phase 1
• City of Walterboro – Ireland Creek Greenway Park and Stream Restoration

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