Hostility emerges to Lexington County pennyprojects tax

thestate.com /2014/05/12/3442963/hostility-emerges-to- lexington.html

By TIM FLACH

TIM DOMINICK — tdominick@thestate.com Buy Photo

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File: Updated: List of proposed Lexington Co. projects

Adviser eligible f or some work

The company serving as an adviser to the panel preparing Lexington County’s package ofsales tax projects is eligible to work on some parts of the plan af terward.

Alliance Consulting Engineers can help guide completion of up to 10 percent of the $268.1million plan under a deal with County Council.

That limit was adopted to assure work is spread among several companies, Council ChairmanJohnny Jef f coat of Irmo said.

“We knew there would be some concern” about f avorit ism without a restriction, he said.

Council members selected Alliance last f all af ter privately interviewing a half dozen f irms, cit ingthe company’s experience in shaping such packages in picking it f or the job.

The choice drew complaints that the company is based outside the county. It is receiving$450,000 as the panel’s adviser.

Opposition is surf acing to a proposed penny-on-the-dollar sales tax in Lexington County as the f inaltouches were placed Monday on the improvements it would support.

Opponents are upset with what they consider f rivolous inclusions such as new recreation f acilit ies, awalking path along the lower Saluda River, library expansion and civic centers f or Gaston andSwansea.

“There’s too much f rosting on the cake,” said polit ical consultant R.J. Shealy, who said he is advisingthe group being organized to promote rejection of the tax and projects at a Nov. 4 ballot.

The projects under f ire compose about a seventh of the $268.1 million package of 69 projects thatan advisory panel of civic leaders chose.

Panel members generally picked the top choices of community leaders who say they need moremoney to make improvements long-wanted to keep pace with steady growth.

The message to voters is “you have your f uture in your own hands,” said public relations executiveLee Bussell of Chapin, a member of the panel.

Opponents will suggest a smaller tax hike – no more than a half -cent on the dollar – would be better

if devoted only to roads and perhaps water, sewer and drainage upgrades, Shealy said.

The opposition emerged as another $91.3 million in projects was added to the package.

Panel members on what they call “contingencies” – projects that will occur if those ahead of themcost less to build, are canceled or if revenue f rom the proposed penny-on the-dollar tax is more thanexpected.

Unlike the main package, the list of provisional projects isn’t dominated by roads.

Its 23 projects include $43.6 million f or transportation, $40 million f or recreation, libraries and othernew f acilit ies and $7.7 million f or water, sewer and drainage.

Projects on that list include $30.2 million to pave about 40 miles of dirt roads, $13.2 million to expandlibraries in eight communities, $12.2 million f or a new sports complex in Dixiana, $8.8 million f or a newmunicipal f acility in Springdale and $4 million f or a community center in Chapin.

Panel members plan to settle on f inal details Thursday bef ore sending the package to CountyCouncil f or approval.

If approved by voters countywide, the new tax hike would last eight years, but can be renewed.

Groceries and prescription medicine would remain exempt f rom the tax. The current sales tax is 7cents on the dollar.

Reach Flach at (803) 771-8483.