Beaufort County sales tax board slashes project funding requests

A Beaufort County board took a machete Tuesday to a list of funding requests, slashing nearly $20 million from a list of projects to be paid for by a potential sales tax increase.

The Capital Projects Sales Tax Commission, a panel of six that evaluates infrastructure project proposals from local governments and colleges, whittled funding for 33 projects from nearly $139 million to just under $120 million.

That $120 million figure is what county officials estimate will be collected over the next four years should the Beaufort County Council — and ultimately county voters — support a one percent sales tax hike.

That revenue would help pay for a variety of infrastructure projects all around the county — from Hilton Head Island bridge improvements, to a new parking garage in Beaufort, to a waste disposal facility on Daufuskie Island.

“North and south (of the Broad River), we are all in this together,” commission chairman Mike Sutton said.

The commission has been working for several months to come up with the final list of projects and their respective funding levels.

The lion’s share of the work came to a close Tuesday, as the board was able to agree on funding cuts and meet its $120 million threshold.

Throughout the process, the most controversial project has been a proposal for a new arts and cultural venue on Hilton Head Island.

Town officials initially asked for $30 million in sales tax revenue for the project — a request that was shot down almost immediately.

Commissioners criticized the plan for not being fully formed and far from shovel-ready.

Island officials returned to the commission with a scaled-back plan and a roughly $10 million funding request.

The commission approved just over $6 million for the venue, albeit grudgingly.

“I see no future in it,” Sutton said of the project.

Commission member Carolyn Smith called the venue “a dead elephant.”

The board wasn’t simply picking on the proposed arts venue; the group reduced funding for nearly every project on its list.

All Beaufort County, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, USCB and Daufuskie Island requests were cut by at least 10 percent.

Bluffton had its $1 million request for Dr. Mellichamp Drive streetscape improvements slashed entirely.

“There’s no clean way to do this,” commission member Dean Moss said.

The commission’s final list of projects and prices is expected to be presented to the County Council later this month.

The council must approve the full package of projects before the sales tax increase referendum can be added to the ballot for November’s election.

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Beaufort County sales tax board slashes project funding requests."