Council discusses future of sales tax

The future of the 1-cent sales tax program weighs greatly on the Aiken County Board of Education's decision to go ahead with a bond referendum, according to members of County Council's Sales Tax Committee.

Members of County Council's Special Projects Sales Tax Committee said Tuesday that the bond referendum could have an impact on voters if they are asked to vote on it and round three of the 1-cent sales tax in the same year, much less on the same ballot.

At the time the committee's meeting adjourned, news on the referendum had not yet come. Calls to committee members were not returned.

The Board of Education decided to call for a $236 million bond referendum to rebuild or construct new schools in the district. The referendum will go before voters May 25.

Several members of Council's Sales Tax Committee debated the merits of pushing for renewal of the 1-cent tax program in November, while others said they still weren't sold on the idea.

"If they do it (the referendum in May), I think we'll be fine in November," said Council Chairman Ronnie Young.

Round three of the tax program will not be a new penny on top of the current one. It is a continuation of the current program.

County Council has the flexibility of waiting to put renewal of the tax program on the ballot in 2011 in a special election. Councilman Sandy Haskell joined others in expressing opposition to the idea of a special election at taxpayer's expense, which would be about $35,000.

If Council moves forward in November and voters strike it down, the issue cannot be voted on again until 2012.

Committee members received details on every project that voters approved for round two of the tax in 2004, its cost estimate and how much has been spent to date.

Some projects, like paving Curry Drive at $32,000, has not yet begun. Others are further along. More than half of the $4 million allocated for vehicles has been spent. In total, about $18.5 million of the to-date collections from round two of the 1-cent sales tax has been spent. And, collection will continue into 2012.

"We won't really need this (round three) money until about the last quarter of 2011," said Councilman Gary Bunker. He asked staff to return with a list laying out what percentage of each project has been completed. "I am not sure the case for a ballot in November is clear cut. I don't want us to go into November making predictions based on less than perfect knowledge."