Charleston Mulls $4.25B Transport Tax
Charleston County Council is preparing to vote on a referendum for a $4.25 billion transportation sales tax. The 25-year plan would fund various transportation projects and could potentially include funding for seawall construction, according to a report.
- This marks the third time since 2004 that Charleston County voters will decide on a transportation sales tax; previous measures in 2004 and 2016 have generated a combined $4.56 billion for infrastructure, public transit, and green spaces. - A key guiding principle of the proposed tax is to "integrate flood mitigation and resiliency measures into transportation projects," which is the rationale for including funding for the Battery Extension seawall project. - The initial draft of the plan underwent significant public input, with the county receiving over 28,000 comments and 600 proposed projects, which had an estimated total cost of $68 billion. - On February 6, 2026, the Charleston County Council's Finance Committee voted to move forward with a draft that allocates $225 million for the City of Charleston's Battery Extension project, a reduction from an initially proposed $300 million. - The proposed allocation for the new tax was most recently updated on February 20, 2026, with 63.52% for roadway infrastructure, 20.24% for public transit, and 16.24% for the Greenbelt Program. - A draft document analyzing the economic impact of transit investment in the region suggests that every $1 invested in projects like the Lowcountry Rapid Transit returns $5 in long-term economic benefits. - The current half-cent transportation sales tax is set to expire in 2027, prompting the push for a new referendum in November 2026 to avoid a lapse in funding. - Following the most recent council vote, the revised draft program has entered a 30-day public comment period, with the results to be presented to the council in April for further refinement.
