County Revises Roads Referendum to Exclude Groceries

Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer

Anderson County Council voted unanimously to amend the referendum for a one-penny sales tax to be used to maintain/repair the county’s roads and bridges to exclude groceries from the proposed tax.

The shift, which was allowed after the South Carolina General Assembly gave counties the option to exclude groceries (unprepared foods) earlier this summer, will reduce the amount of annual road funding for the county from $50 annually to around $35 million annually.

The county continues to face the growing challenge of funding road maintenance/repair of the 1,576 miles of county owned roads, with close to a third of these roads in poor or failing condition. Nearly a third of county bridges are not safe for fire trucks or school buses and in need of updates and repairs.

Funding for roads and bridges, is expensive, with the cost of repairing one-mile of road is close to $1 million. The referendum, if approved in November by voters, would allow the county to completely repair and maintain roads for the first time in history.

“Rock the Country”

In a report from the council’s public safety committee, updates on the upcoming “Rock the Country” two-day event at the Anderson Sports and Entertainment Complex included a joint effort with the Anderson Sheriff’s Office and the City of Anderson Police Department to provide a strong presence to make sure the music festival is safe for all those who attend.

Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Inc. to Belton

Also on Tuesday night, council gave final approval on Tuesday to tax incentives to bring Eastern Engineered Wood Products, Inc. to Belton.

“Belton perhaps lost more jobs in the decline of textile jobs than any city in South Carolina,” said Anderson County Economic Development Director Burriss Nelson.

The business will be operated on the site of the closed Milliken textile plant in Belton and will bring 25 new jobs with an average salary of $28.90 per hour. The family-owned business builds custom structural housing products, and will invest $16 million in the project. Property tax on the site will rise from $290 in 2023 to $134,000 the first year the new business is up and running on the property.

Council on Tuesday also:

Approved the sale of two parcels of land, including one with a structure on it, on West Church Street, for use by Habitat for Humanity of Anderson for the sum of $5. The property will be used the nonprofits work in the county.