Mayors: Penny tax good for towns

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.