Here’s what an unexpected $23 million means for road upgrades, jail in Lancaster County
More buying than expected the past seven years in Lancaster County now means money is available to speed up some local projects.
Lancaster County has a capital project sales tax, often called the penny sales tax. The first voter-approved round in 2008 paid for the new county courthouse. Voters approved a new round in 2014 for road resurfacing, a public safety and emergency services communication system and library upgrades.
The tax approved in 2014 expires April 30. However, it has generated $23 million more than expected.
Meanwhile, voters approved a new tax last fall that will kick in May 1. That projected $68 million tax stream, which will come over seven years, will fund more than a dozen projects anchored by a new detention center and road improvements, including a widened section of U.S. 521.
On Monday night, Lancaster County Council began deciding how to spend the $23 million in unbudgeted revenue. The money will be used to close out 2014 tax projects and get an early start on some new ones.
About $10 million would fund: county road projects at almost $7.7 million; a $1.5 million second phase for the Lindsay Pettus Greenway; and $1 million for S.C. Highway 9 pedestrian connections at USC Lancaster.
Roads to get surfacing or other upgrades with the extra money are sections of Airdale, Bill Sweatt, Emerald Estates, Firewood and Harris Hill roads, East Park and Northfield drives, Regent and Walnut Creek parkways, Ember Lane, Songbird Street and roads in the Grey Fox, Hunters Ridge, Providence Crossing and Sedgefield subdivisions.
Patching or overlay work will come to Logging, Fernwood and Cannery roads, Rise Lane and Catawba Ridge Boulevard.
About $13 million would go to the detention center, which has more than $30 million budgeted from last fall’s vote, but is expected to cost more than $47 million.
The vote last fall had more than $13 million projected for area roads. The list discussed Monday night focused only on county-owned roads.
“We re-looked at some of the road projects that are in (last fall’s vote), but many of those include state roads,” said Dennis Marstall, county administrator.
There was discussion on spending excess money on U.S. 521. Almost $9.7 million for widening there, from Marvin Road to the North Carolina line, is part of last fall’s vote.
“I can’t think of any infrastructure road project that is in the county that would benefit more citizenry, than money applied to that,” said Councilman Brian Carnes.
Councilman Billy Mosteller said he’s fine with the road funding, as long as the county keeps its focus and funding on the detention center.
“We’ve got to pay that thing down,” Mosteller said. “We’ve got to make sure that money is there.”
If the economy is high there won’t be concern, he said. If it drops and people spend less, there won’t be excess money and the county might not be able to complete the project. Council can’t go back at that point, Mosteller said, and ask taxpayers for another bond to finish it.
“Everybody in Lancaster County is expecting that detention center to be paid off in seven years, just like the courthouse was,” he said.
Council gave initial approval to the excess funding plan Monday night. Roads could be added or changed by the third and final vote.
While Council members don’t know what the economy will do for the next seven years, there was discussion of perhaps $30-$40 million in excess on the coming sales tax approved last fall, based on current collection trends and rapid growth in areas like Indian Land.
“I do think that we’re going to have lots money left over at the end of this third campaign, just like we did this campaign,” Carnes said.
