Berkeley County $198 million school referendum passes

BERKELEY COUNTY, SC (WCSC) - Voters in Berkeley County have passed a $198 million bond referendum with 25,796 votes for and 19,588 votes against with 77% of precincts reporting.

Under the referendum, 29 schools will be renovated and five new schools will be built.

People that support the referendum say it has to be done because of overcrowding and poor infrastructure. Property taxes are expected to increase starting in 2014 with homeowners having to pay an extra $40 for every $100,000 of property they own.

In 2017, that will go up another $40 and that increase will last ten years.

Opponents say that it's too much money for the people of Berkeley County to be paying and that the schools need to make due with what they already have.

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