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Penny could provide $8.6M to city

Money from the 1 percent capital projects sales tax has been used by the City of Orangeburg for everything from fire stations to the Veterans Memorial Park.

“Without it, I don’t think we would have been able to complete some of the projects,” Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said.

Now Orangeburg County voters are being asked to renew the tax for seven years once the current round expires next year. If voters approve the tax on Tuesday, it is expected to raise $74.3 million for a variety of projects throughout the county.

The city plans to use its share of the money on a number of projects, including the construction of ball fields off North Road and the redevelopment of Railroad Corner, officials say.

“County Council has had great foresight and wisdom in allocating a portion of each penny’s sales tax to the 17 municipalities across the county,” Orangeburg City Administrator John Yow said. Municipalities are given a share of the money based on population.

The “penny tax” was first approved in 1998.

The first round of the tax included about $1.3 million for the paving of the runway at the Orangeburg Municipal Airport, $1.3 million for the construction of the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety building on Middleton Street and $650,000 for the construction of two city fire stations.

Yow said the new fire substations led to lower insurance premiums for nearby homeowners.

The penny also contributed to the construction of the Orangeburg City Gym on Broughton Street last year, renovations to Stevenson Auditorium and the development of the Veterans Memorial Park.

About $3.3 million was used for the downtown district streetscape project, which included new lighting, resurfacing, sidewalks, drainage and crosswalks on Russell Street and Middleton Street.

The penny also went toward the construction of the new Orangeburg City Council Chambers, municipal parking and other projects throughout the city.

The Edisto Gardens spray park was also helped with the penny.

If county voters renew the 1 percent sales tax, the city could receive about $8.6 million over the next seven years.

“The penny helps to prevent the need for raising taxes,” Butler said.

Recreational complex

Land clearing began earlier this month between the North Road Walmart and Medway Drive for the city’s recreational complex project.

The recreational complex will be built behind the upper Orangeburg Preparatory Schools campus. It will include two clusters of nine baseball and softball fields, restrooms, concession stands, press boxes and meeting rooms.

“We have talked to different people about playing out there and bringing tournaments here,” Yow said.

It will include walking and biking trails, picnic tables, playground equipment, open green space, as well as about 600 parking spaces.

Yow said the plans are flexible.

Construction on the ball fields will begin in March 2017 with the fields being opening to the public possibly in the spring of 2018.

The clearing will allow development of a road from North Road to the future ball fields. In addition to the road, utilities will also be constructed during the initial stage.

The road project is being developed through a private partnership with Fort Motte Partners LLC, a company of Century 21 The Moore Group and C.F. Evans Construction Company. Fort Motte donated about five acres to the city to allow for additional amenities and parking.

“We want to make sure the complex has two exits and two entrances,” Yow said.

About $200,000 from the fourth penny is set aside for the complex and traffic control, including turning lanes.

About $12 million has been allocated toward the project from the first three rounds of the tax.

Yow said while the ball fields have been planned several years, such a project takes time.

“The first penny was just to acquire land,” Yow said. “Once we got into the project, city council decided they wanted to deal with a much bigger project than just the initial three ball fields. The scope of the project has changed.”

Another reason the project has yet to begin is because the money was not available to the city until about 18 months ago, Yow said.

“When that penny is voted in, the county does not just have that money. It takes years to develop that money,” Yow said. “When the project was expanded and added an extra $7 million, the city did not have $7 million to build that property.”

Yow said a sewer station also had to be upgraded before the fields could be built. He says that sewer station has since been upgraded and is ready to go.

The complex will also likely be funded through the city’s hospitality and accommodations tax.

Yow estimates the entire project will cost between $12 million and $15 million.

The project could be built in multiple phases, if necessary.

The design phase of the project is about 95 percent complete.

Butler said the ball fields will create a “good problem” for Orangeburg.

“We will have a lot of traffic going out there,” he said. “Those restaurants out there, Walmart, those grocery stores down there will benefit from some of the ball fields.”

“Recreation is everything to a city,” Butler continued. “It builds the city.”

Butler said the city is also hoping more development will help revitalize the Prince of Orange Mall.

“We have some plans for that mall,” Butler said, declining to say what the specific plans may be.

Railroad Corner

If voters approve another round of the tax, it will also include about $3 million for the development and upgrade of Railroad Corner, where Russell, Boulevard and Magnolia streets meet.

This will include infrastructure and property acquisition. About $6.5 million in federal money was also allocated toward the project.

“If we can’t obtain all the properties, we will buy the ones we can and redesign the project around the properties we can develop,” Yow said.

Yow said the city is currently in negotiations with owners for property on Treadwell, Russell and Boulevard streets.

“We would like to obtain 20 to 25 of them,” Yow said. “We think it is very critical to economic development for downtown. We think it is very important for the universities and the experience of the college students.”

Council previously wanted to move ahead with the project but was unable to obtain the all the property it needed, so the efforts ceased.

City officials envision mom-and-pop stores, restaurants, a sports bar and bicycle trails for the area.

Downtown library

About $1 million is set aside for the construction a county-owned library in downtown Orangeburg.

There have been discussions about building a library on Russell Street across from the Department of Public Utilities building.

The county library is currently located on Louis Street. It has a leaky roof and is subject to flooding.

Both county and city officials have expressed the desire to relocate the library.

“We are interested in seeing that whole block redeveloped,” Yow said. “The city is willing to work with the county and partner with other groups to redevelop the entire block.”

Yow said a downtown library will be of great importance.

“I think the location near the gardens would also be advantageous for school field trips,” he said.

About 17,000 people walk through the library’s doors on a monthly basis.

Other projects

If voters approve, the fourth road of the penny would provide $1 million for Orangeburg Municipal Airport. Work could include construction of two corporate-sized hangars to accommodate larger planes.

Yow said the city would like to investigate the matter more fully.

“We would like to explore with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) projects that are eligible for FAA grants and see if we can use the penny to leverage FAA grants,” Yow said.

Other projects include:

  • $1.2 million — City Hall and Stevenson Auditorium expansion. The expansion would accommodate the Finance Department and add a reception area for Stevenson Auditorium events.
  • $600,000 — Improvements to city-owned streets, including Pine Top subdivision.
  • $400,000 — Mirmow Field improvements including resurfacing of parking lots, painting, new lighting, electrical work and circulation fans.

Yow said the improvements will help tie in Mirmow Field into the new gymnasium.

  • $571,949 — Edisto Gardens improvements and riverfront development. This includes a paved parking lot in front of the Orangeburg County Fine Arts Center and riverfront development. Specifics on the type of development have not been identified but some discussion was held about a fishing deck or restaurant.
  • $150,000 — City Gym parking expansion.
  • $100,000 – Sidewalks.

Irish companies see favorable partnership with South Carolina

Ireland’s economy has recovered from the Great Recession and its companies are ready to invest in South Carolina, said Shane Stephens, consul general of Ireland for the Southeast region.
“We’ll have growth of 4% this year and expect 3.5% next year, even with the impact of Brexit,” Stephens said during a visit to Columbia this week to talk with Gov. Nikki Haley about economic development.

Ireland and South Carolina have compatibilities that make doing business together easier, Stephens said. They are of similar population size — 4.8 million for Ireland, 4.6 million for S.C. — and at least 12% of South Carolinians trace their heritage to Ireland. Stephens has been invited to visit the state to celebrate with Irish heritage organizations.

Among the Irish companies that already have investments in South Carolina are Mergon Corp. and E&I Engineering, both of which have their U.S. headquarters in the Upstate and support the automotive cluster.

Many global companies have a large presence in Ireland because of its favorable business climate, Stephens said; and U.S. companies looking for a gateway into the European Union do well to consider Ireland.

“We’re about to become the only English-speaking country in the eurozone,” Stephens said. “We’re a zone of stability and certainty.”

Ireland’s neighbor, the United Kingdom, voted in June to leave the European Union. Ireland remains a part of the EU and strongly supports it.

“Forbes says we are the fourth-best place in the world to do business,” Stephens said.

In addition to business partnerships, Ireland is interested in educational exchanges, he said. Many Irish university students take a summer to work in the tourism industry in South Carolina through the J-1 visa Summer Work Travel Program. And the College of Charleston has a new Irish and Irish American Studies program, with travel to Ireland as a part of it.

Tax could fund library, museum

If Orangeburg County’s voters decide to renew the 1 percent capital projects sales tax, they’ll also be approving $1 million toward the construction of a new library.

It’s County Council Chairman Johnny Wright’s favorite among the list of projects that could be funded by the fourth round of the tax.

“Technology’s changing,” Wright said. “We need a more up-to-date library system.”

Many homes still do not have access to a computer, so a new facility “would only improve the quality of education in our area,” he said.

On Tuesday, voters will decide whether they want to renew the tax for another seven years. County officials say it will raise $74.3 million for a variety of building projects.

Since it was first approved by voters in 1998, “the penny” has been used to build town halls, pave roads, install water and sewer lines and even create recreational facilities such as the Orangeburg County Aquatic Park and the new Orangeburg City Gym.

Santee Mayor Donnie Hilliard said the tax, “has changed Orangeburg tremendously.” Hilliard was county administrator when the tax was first approved.

“The one that really stands out is … the infrastructure in terms of water and sewer,” he said. “Without that, our community cannot grow.”

Wright said Vance was able to build a community center and a park with the tax. Gaillard Park in Eutawville was also a result of the penny.

The projects that are being considered for the next round of the tax include further improvements to water and sewer infrastructure, improvements to the sports complex in Branchville and the construction of an Orangeburg County Museum and Memorial Park.

As citizens decide the tax’s future, Councilman Johnny Ravenell said “We definitely are in need of a library.”

No details were given on the new building, but Ravenell said it will be placed “in a location that’s going to benefit the college students and citizens as a whole.”

The new library will make use of technology “instead of the traditional way we do things,” Ravenell said.

He explained that the library will be like an extension of a computer lab where students will be able to do research.

The list of new penny projects also has almost $1.6 million for a nursing facility at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.

Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said the building will prepare students for jobs after graduation.

The list also includes $3 million for improvements at Orangeburg’s Railroad Corner and downtown development.

“I think it’s a great location because it’s near the colleges,” Ravenell said.

Wright said the improvements will make the area more attractive to businesses.

“The county is growing economically,” he said. “Now’s the time to take advantage of this.”

He said the projects will prepare the county for further growth when opportunities come knocking.

Money from the tax is set aside for each county council district and municipalities. It can be used to pave roads and build other projects.

Council Vice Chair Janie Cooper-Smith said her district is no longer as rural as it once was because of the amount of road paving that resulted from the tax.

Cooper-Smith said she used to receive calls each day about roads needing repairs.

Councilman Harry Wimberly said his District Three “would not have water, we would not have internet” without the tax.

“This county couldn’t survive without it,” he said.

Census data shows where jobs grew exiting recession

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released some data that reveals trends from when the economic recovery was gaining momentum in South Carolina.

The data covers types and sizes of businesses during 2012 and 2013, the most recent years available. In South Carolina, sectors where there was growth in the number of businesses included the following:

  • Professional scientific and technical services (up by 142 businesses)
  • Accommodation and food services (up 138)
  • Real estate and rental and leasing (up 80)

The number of businesses decreased in sectors such as finance/insurance and manufacturing. However, the number of workers employed in those sectors increased.

Finance/insurance added 1,827 workers, while 2,092 jobs were created in manufacturing. Also adding a healthy number of jobs in 2012-13 were wholesale trade (3,118 workers) and accommodation and food services (5,712).

The S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce also tracks job gains by industry. Their data set isn’t exactly the same as the Census Bureau’s but has the benefit of being more recent.

By comparison, DEW reported job gains in the following sectors between August 2015-16:

  • Professional and business services: 13,100
  • Financial activities: 3,700
  • Leisure and hospitality: 2,100
  • Manufacturing: 2,000

As of 2013, there were 92,822 businesses in the Palmetto State. That figure was up less than two tenths of 1 percent from 2012. Nationally, the growth rate was slightly less than six tenths of 1 percent.

Looking at the sizes of businesses where gains occurred, there was a drop nationally in the number of business with between 20-99 workers, but gains in businesses that employed greater or fewer than that number of workers. In South Carolina, there was a slight gain (6 businesses) in the 20-99-worker category, and slightly larger gains in all others.

Mayors: Penny tax good for towns

Orangeburg County’s mayors say the 1 percent capital projects sales tax has helped towns pay for construction they couldn’t otherwise afford.

“Without the penny tax for the Town of Holly Hill, I really don’t know if we’d survive,” Mayor William Johnson said.

Previous rounds of the “penny tax” allowed the Holly Hill town hall and police department to move to the former Holly Hill Middle School, which was renovated into a municipal complex.

“We’d like to continue the improvements in Holly Hill,” Johnson said.

County residents will be asked on Nov. 8 if they want to renew the tax, which was first approved by voters in 1998.

If the voters approve the “penny tax,” it is expected to raise $74.3 million over seven years for a variety of building projects. The share provided to the county’s 17 municipalities is divided based upon population.

Under the list of projects proposed for the new round of the tax, the town of Holly Hill will receive $200,000 for a multi-purpose building at the municipal complex, $470,000 for improvements to the water and sewer infrastructure for economic development, $21,701 to enhance the town’s parks and $60,000 for downtown beautification.

Springfield Mayor Ed Furtick said he didn’t know how helpful the tax was until he became mayor in January.

“We’ll be looking forward to the people voting on it and hopefully passing it,” Furtick said

One of the projects already funded by the tax was the development of a walking trail, Furtick said.

“There’s some money in water and sewage that hasn’t been used yet, but I’ll get to it shortly,” Furtick said.

Woodford Mayor Sam Anthony said, “I’m positive about it. Hopefully next year we can do some renovations in town on some of the buildings and upgrading our playground.”

Anthony also hopes to complete repairs on the shed which houses the town mower.

The penny sales tax helps the town complete projects that it wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford, he said.

Santee Mayor Donnie Hilliard said he endorses the tax whole-heartedly.

“It’s beneficial to areas with low and moderate income,” he added.

The first round of the penny tax paid for backup generators for the town of Santee.

“They really came in handy during Hurricane Matthew,” Hilliard said.