Lowcountry voters want to manage the impacts of growth, not simply stop it, according findings from the inaugural Lowcountry Pulse poll released today by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.
The new regional polling initiative measures the opinions of high-propensity voters across Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties on issues impacting the business community, economy and quality of life.
The inaugural poll found that voters favor investing in solutions to the challenges affecting their quality of life over limiting growth, and they want economic growth to help pay for those investments rather than relying on higher taxes.
"Lowcountry Pulse allows us to hear directly from voters and understand what they really think, beyond the most visible voices," said Kevin Sheilley. "What we found tells a different story. Voters want to manage the impacts of growth through targeted investments that protect and improve their quality of life."
VOTERS STRONGLY SUPPORT INVESTMENT AS THE WAY TO MANAGE GROWTH
When asked about the best way to manage growth, 59% said investing in infrastructure, compared with 36.5% who favor limiting growth. More than three-quarters, 75.8%, say infrastructure investment is very important to managing growth and 79.7% say investments in drainage and flood resilience are very important.
Voters also expressed strong support for transit, with 71.7% supporting Lowcountry Rapid Transit.
VOTERS WANT ECONOMIC GROWTH TO HELP PAY FOR THE REGION'S NEEDS
70.7% of voters prefer attracting new jobs and business to help fund public services and infrastructure, compared with just 9.7% who favor raising taxes.
At the same time, 86.1% support clear, predictable timelines for permitting and development review. More than half, 55.3% agree growth is creating good jobs for people who already live here, compared with 36.8% who disagree. Three-quarters of voters are also open to creating new revenue streams by legalizing and taxing activities such as gambling.
AFFORDABILITY IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE REGION'S WORKFORCE
Housing ranks as voters' top affordability concern, with the pressure particularly pronounced among younger voters. 48.3% of voters ages 18 to 34 rank housing as their main affordability concern.
Childcare and access to good-paying jobs are also part of the affordability picture. 72% support government policies to expand access to affordable, high-quality childcare, while 38.6% say good job opportunities exist in their communities, but more are needed.
"Together, these findings show a clear demand for targeted investments that address our region's quality-of-life and affordability challenges, with economic growth helping to pay for them," said Sheilley. "Lowcountry Pulse provides a new way to understand what voters are experiencing and bring their perspectives into conversations about our region's future."
Lowcountry Pulse will provide ongoing public opinion data on issues affecting the Lowcountry's business community and economy, giving the Chamber, business leaders and policymakers greater insight into how voters across the region view the challenges and opportunities facing their communities.