Press Release
Dorchester County Democrats announced today their support for a “Yes” vote on the Transportation Sales Tax Referendum on November 8th.
The sales and use tax on the ballot has been in effect since 2005. It is NOT a new tax, despite the efforts of its opponents to mislead the public. It has provided critical funding to construct new roadways in the county, widen existing major thoroughfares, pave dirt roads, resurface streets, and more.
Given the many needs that still exist to improve roadways in Dorchester County, the DCDP believes a “Yes” vote is the wise course of action.
This levy simply extends the 2005 one percent sales and use tax imposed on residents, tourists, visitors and all those who use Dorchester County roads.
The consequences of repealing the levy would be to halt many projects now underway. The loss of the revenue would make it impossible to carry out scheduled improvements to Dorchester Road, the Orangeburg Loop, US Highway 78, and much more.
The Dorchester County Council which is, for now, entirely in Republican hands has endorsed a “Yes” vote. Nevertheless, the Republican Party leadership in Dorchester County is opposed to the extension, defying their own Council members.
For more than 30 years Republicans at the county and state level have been in charge of transportation policy. The failures—congestion, dangerous roads and bridges, poor signage— are Republican failures. Now the Dorchester County Republican Party is campaigning against a program that, for 17 years, has provided critical funding to address these problems. This is madness. It’s a policy of “back to the future.”
It is Democrats who understand these transportation issues. It is united Democrats who are urging a “Yes” vote on the Sales Tax Referendum.
