Charleston Co. puts half-penny transportation tax on 2026 ballot

MORNING HEADLINES | The Charleston County Council voted Tuesday to approve the third and final reading of an ordinance to put a half-penny transportation sales tax on the November ballot.

A similar referendum failed in 2024. If the new plan is approved by voters, the measure would generate $4.25 billion over 25 years and continue an existing half=cent transportation sales tax set to expire in 2027.

Voters will choose whether to split the half-penny tax pie into three general areas:

$2.7 billion (63.57%) for road infrastructure;
$858 million (20.19%) for public transit; and
$690 million (16.24%) for the county’s greenbelt program

The council also voted to include the following sentence to the updated ballot language: “All featured projects, intersection projects, pavement management projects and all other projects shall consider the inclusion of bicycle, pedestrian and public transit access in the design process, as contextually appropriate.”

The referendum will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Voters can review the approved proposal, project information and additional materials here.

Summer campaign: Donate to support local journalism

Keep the City Paper strong with a fresh donation. We’re embarking on a $25,000 summer campaign in July to support free, independent journalism at the Charleston City Paper. Every donation helps keep alive a voice of free, independent and local journalism. Your help of $25 or $100 is appreciated.

In recent headlines

CP NEWS: 2 Charleston council members want review of controversial ordinance. Two freshman members of Charleston City Council say it might be time to revisit a controversial First Amendment ordinance passed in July 2021 that critics say unreasonably restricts public demonstrations. Meanwhile, activists are planning a Saturday march and rally.

Charleston’s MOJA Arts Festival to return with a new vision and iconic soundtrack. This year’s celebration has been streamlined from 11 days to eight and debuts a new tradition recognizing the cultural influence of four West African and Caribbean communities. The 2026 festival will honor Barbados, Gullah Geechee, Jamaica and Sierra Leone.

Graham to be memorialized in D.C., S.C. Funeral services in Washington for the late U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., will be closed to the public, but people are invited to pay their respects during a procession and service in South Carolina.

Top federal Murdaugh prosecutor to leave post. Emily Limehouse, the lead federal prosecutor in the Alex Murdaugh financial crimes investigation, will be leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office to become a U.S. magistrate judge in Charleston.

Charleston Co. approves $15M budget increase to modernize CARTA. The proposal includes plans to renovate the downtown Charleston transit hub, transform the HOP lot on the peninsula into a park-and-ride facility, and build a new transit hub at Shipwatch Square in North Charleston. The HOP lot would allow drivers to park their vehicles and use the HOP shuttle to travel downtown.

Charleston’s evacuated Dockside Condominiums broken into by squatters. More than a year and a half after residents were evacuated from Dockside Condominiums due to structural safety concerns, reports have surfaced that squatters have broken into the building and are living inside, despite the property remaining uninhabitable for its legal residents.

Folly Beach to study short-term rental ordinance. The Folly Beach City Council discussed potential changes to the city’s short-term rental ordinance and outlined plans to commission a new study to examine the issue.

North Charleston drops plan to allow short-term rental permit transfers

CALENDAR: Goings on around town

Our online events calendar has scores of events around the Lowcountry every day, making it the most detailed calendar of what’s happening in the area. Just click on “Events” above at right under the black toolbar. You’ll be amazed at what you find.