Why Richland County voters kept a penny tax when other SC counties rejected one | Opinion

Richland County’s resounding “yes” vote last month to keep a 1% sales tax for transportation is a great example of what our community can do when it pulls together.

We owe a big “thank you” to county voters, the Richland County Council, Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, city officials, business leaders, community and religious leaders and so many others who worked together to take the destiny of our community into our own hands.

Richland County Council put the proposal on the ballot, getting public input and ensuring voters were educated about the referendum, and dozens of others worked to help residents understand the importance of “keeping our penny” to continue supporting The COMET bus system, improve roads and finance key transportation-related projects.

Voters responded by approving the Nov. 5 referendum by a whopping 61% to 39%. The reason for Richland County’s success is simple: Residents set aside any perceived differences, political or otherwise, to put the best interests of our community first.

I had the pleasure of chairing the Midlands Alliance for Better Transportation and Roads, a diverse group of civic, religious and business leaders who helped lead the Keep Our Penny campaign. Our message was that, by voting to keep our penny sales tax, voters would be saying yes to a vibrant bus system, yes to making more roads safer and yes to boosting the local economy, creating more jobs and improving the quality of life for all.

As we saw across South Carolina on election night, passing any sales tax referendum is difficult. While every referendum is different, passage requires a lot of work and leadership from elected officials, the business community and community and religious leaders.

Public-private efforts in support of continuing the penny tax were bolstered by the fact that people living in and traveling across Richland County regularly see the many great road and other improvements in place as a result of the initial penny program voters approved in 2012.

Now, a once-woeful local bus system is vastly improved, having added 29 new buses, 160 new bus shelters for riders and new routes that allow riders to access essential services and destinations. The 2012 penny program has led to many transportation-related successes in Richland County, including the resurfacing of more than 120 miles of roads; the completion of more than 500 roadway, pedestrian, bikeway and greenway projects, and the enhancement of greenways and pedestrian improvements such as sidewalks.

The widespread improvements have had a significant impact on our county. Over the past 12 years, Richland County has added 20,000 new jobs and 4,000 new businesses, in part because of the penny.

The decision to keep collecting the sales tax means Richland County can continue building upon the great foundation that has been established. The Nov. 5 “yes” vote will allow the county to raise an estimated $4.5 billion for transportation-related projects over 25 years; the tax would end sooner if the $4.5 billion is generated in fewer years.

We must continue the progress we have been making in Richland County and the city of Columbia with this collaborative spirit and work for the best interests of our community. If the Nov. 5 vote is any indication, we can continue to accomplish some pretty significant things.