Referendum History

2024
TST 4
November 5, 2024 Transportation Sales Tax Referendum voting results

The Proposed Referendum did not pass.

The results are posted below:

To view all ballot results online, please click on the above image.

November 2024 – Proposed Referendum

The Beaufort County Council approved a referendum question to be placed upon the ballot in November 2024, which will ask the electorate to vote on a 1% sales tax increase beginning in the following year and to remain in effect for 10 years or until $950 million in funds are raised, whichever comes first.

The proceeds from this tax would be expended by the County for a series of transportation and mobility projects and programs.

In addition, it is recommended that a standing Citizen’s Oversight Committee be appointed to assist the County Council and staff in the prioritization and implementation of the projects and activities to be funded by the referendum which may include:

Completion of underfunded Transportation Sales Tax 3 (2018) projects:

– US 278 Corridor Project – $90M

– Lady’s Island Corridor Projects – $60M

– Sidewalks and multi-use pathways county-wide – $30M

Greenbelts – $50M

Mass Transit – $80M

The Triangle Project – SC 170, US 278, Argent Blvd – $120M

Ribaut Road Improvements – $75M

SC 46 Improvements – $50M

Safety & Traffic Flow – $100M

Dirt Road Paving and Resurfacing – $80M

Pavement Resurfacing and Preservation – $50M

Pathway Projects – $20M

Municipal Projects:

– Hilton Head Island – $30M

– Bluffton – Not Including 5B – $30M

– North of the Broad – Port Royal, Beaufort, & Northern Beaufort County – $30M

Resiliency/Emergency Evacuation Projects – $55M
2018
TST 3
2018 One Cent Sales Tax Program:

The Beaufort Penny Referendum was passed on November 6, 2018, and the resulting 1% sales tax increase went into effect on May 1, 2019. South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) began collections on May 1, 2019.

The 2018 Penny Referendum allocated money for three main project areas:

$80 Million for US 278 Corridor Traffic Improvements

$30 Million for Lady’s Island Corridor Traffic Improvements

$10 Million for Sidewalks and Multi-use Pathways

2018
2006
TST 2
A special transportation sales and use tax in the amount of one percent to be imposed in Beaufort County for not more than six years, or until a total of $152,000,000 in resulting revenue has been collected, whichever comes first for the following projects:

Bluffton Parkway Phase 5 (US 278 Alternative), new road construction from Buckwalter Parkway to MacKays Creek – $50,000,000

US 278 Improvements, from Sea Pines Circle to SC 170 – $28,000,000

SC 170 Widening, from Bluffton Parkway to Tide Watch Drive – $6,000,000

US 17 Widening, from US 27 to Colleton County Line – $5,000,000

US 21 (Boundary Street) Improvements, from Broad River Road to Palmetto Road – $9,500,000

Boundary Street Parallel Road, new road construction from SC 170 to Palmetto Street – $4,200,000

SC 802 (Ribaut Road) Improvements, from Lenora Drive to Lady’s Island Drive – $600,000
1998
TST 1
A special purpose one percent sales and use tax to be imposed in Beaufort County for not more than 24 months, beginning June 1, 1999 to add to available SCDOT and State Infrastructure Bank funds to provide for the rapid completion of the following project: widen to divided four lanes approximately 13 miles of SC 170 from Career Education Center to the Beaufort City limits near SC 280, including new bridges of the Chechessee and Broad Rivers, for not more than $40,000,000 in addition to the $100,000 to be provided by the State. The collection of the tax shall automatically cease on May 31, 2001 or upon completion of $40,000,000 whichever shall occur first.

1998