While Richland County residents in the Irmo/Chapin area were basically left “high and dry” with lack of “their share” of projects on the Richland County “Penny Tax” Referendum (and even earlier on the Richland County Recreation Bond Referendum), it looks like Irmo town leaders may be trying to avoid a shut out from Lexington County too.
From The State
LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC — Irmo leaders may change their minds and submit projects that could get aid from a proposed penny-on-the-dollar sales tax in Lexington County.
The new look comes after county leaders suggested that abstention is shortsighted.
Town leaders are developing a package of drainage and road intersection improvements for inclusion in the plan that would go to voters countywide for approval Nov. 4.
Irmo is the only one of the county’s 15 communities refusing to recommend projects for the tax plan.
Its omission would raise questions on whether the northeast corner of the county would benefit much from the tax, County Councilman Johnny Jeffcoat of Irmo said.
Irmo’s holdout is practical and political, town leaders said.
Projects first suggested like a new public works building and sidewalks are minor steps that wouldn’t qualify for the plan, Mayor Hardy King said.“What we had was not major but things we can do on our own,” he said.
A new set of improvements in drainage along with widening and adding signals at two intersections are a better fit, he said.
Read more from The State by clicking here