Last fall, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors approved a position statement supporting a transparent, data-driven process for the Transportation Sales Tax Referendum that included meaningful public engagement and focused on securing adequate funding to meet our region’s long-term mobility, economic and quality of life needs. The Chamber appreciates and applauds the work Charleston County leaders have done over the past few months on the referendum.

The process has included robust public engagement, a strong emphasis on transparency and a clear effort to listen to residents and stakeholders across the county. This approach has been instrumental in building trust and creating a proposal that the Chamber thinks Charleston County voters should ultimately support.

We are at a critical moment for our community.

As the Lowcountry continues to experience rapid growth, our infrastructure must keep pace. The half-cent Transportation Sales Tax is a proven and effective way to fund critical infrastructure projects across Charleston County. With the current sales tax set to expire next year, extending it this November will be vital and the projected $4.25 billion generated through this sales tax has the potential to be transformational.

We all feel the strain every day. Sitting in congestion and increasing commute times only intensifies the growing frustration that comes with a transportation system that has not kept up with the region we’ve become. For the business community, this is more than an inconvenience. It impacts hiring, retention, delivery schedules, customer access and long-term investment decisions. For residents, it affects quality of life and the ability to move safely through our community.

In my conversations with business leaders throughout our region, transportation and infrastructure issues are consistently top of mind. This aligns with what the county heard from the public. In the public input campaign, 88% of respondents listed road projects as their top priority for the Transportation Sales Tax.

As council continues to shape and refine the referendum and its allocations, it is critical that these funds are invested to address the urgent transportation needs of our region. The featured projects included in the current proposal, along with historic investments in public transit, will address those needs and pay dividends down the road.

Transportation funding is complicated and the needs are vast. While there will always be noise in a process like this, we cannot allow that to distract from the goal of delivering real solutions for the people who live and work here.

Charleston County voters deserve a plan that reflects what they’ve asked for, a focus on transportation and improving the infrastructure that will make a meaningful impact.

Thank you to the Charleston County Council for their continued diligence and transparency. We urge leaders to stay the course, maintain the focus on transportation needs and public transit, and put forward a Transportation Sales Tax referendum that Charleston County voters can confidently support.

Kevin T. Sheilley
President and CEO
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce