Legislative Priorities

To be vested in Beaufort’s economy means being invested in the things it runs on, and being in the know about the decisions that shape it. Infrastructure is both, and you’ll help make a decision on the future of our Infrastructure when you vote on Election Day.

The question isn’t the need. I’ve directly asked groups of all sizes lately, “Who here doesn’t think we need to fix our roads?” Not one hand has gone up yet. The need is obvious, but there’s more to unpack as voters decide if now and how to fund and fix them.

The Chamber’s role is to share perspective and support the needs of businesses and their workers. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at how both good and bad infrastructure affect our region, so you can make an informed decision at the ballot box. This week’s focus is at the core of our work: the business case.

What investing in infrastructure means for business
Mobility is the foundation of a local economy. Roads, intersections, and bridges are shared assets that every business relies on. They are how employees get to work, how customers reach businesses, how goods and services get delivered, and how people get to appointments and meetings. When people and goods move reliably, efficiently, and safely, then businesses can operate, hire, and grow. When they don’t, the effects reach well beyond the roadway. Investment in our transportation network, or the lack of, shows up in several ways:

Time and Productivity | From Highways 278 and 170 to Boundary Street, Paris Avenue and Sea Island Parkway, people lose a significant amount of time every day sitting in traffic due to congestion on the way to work, meetings, and appointments. For businesses, that is time employees, deliveries, and service crews are not on the job, and for the people stuck in it, the daily frustration is real. Lost time is lost money and more frustration.

Safety and Insurance | From 2017 to 2023, Beaufort County had over 22,000 crashes, and sadly over 600 of them resulted in a fatality or serious injury. Crash history and road safety are among the factors that influence personal and commercial auto insurance costs. More accidents mean higher insurance and more cost.

Operating Costs | Congestion and pavement conditions affect fuel use and vehicle wear, which matter greatly to businesses that operate vehicles and to the employees who pay for their own. Stop-and-go traffic burns more fuel, and potholes and deteriorating pavement wears down tires, brakes, and suspension, which means more maintenance and faster vehicle depreciation. For contractors, landscapers, delivery services, home service providers, and many more, the road is part of the workplace. More gas, more maintenance, more cost.

Hiring and wages | Commute length and reliability shape who is willing to take a job and what employers need to offer to attract and keep staff. Workers weigh the drive, and its cost in time, fuel, and wear on their vehicles. When the commute is long or unpredictable, the pool of workers shrinks, and employers may need to offer higher wages, flexibility, or other incentives to compete. Unreliable commutes translate to late arrivals, missed shifts, and turnover, and replacing a worker is costly. Longer commutes mean higher labor costs.

Long-term decisions | Over time, operating costs and workforce access influences where businesses choose to locate, expand, or stay. Potential employers look at how easily employees, customers, and suppliers can get there, and existing businesses weigh the same factors when deciding whether to add locations, hire more people, or invest in their buildings and equipment. Reliable roads also support the visitors and tourism that many local businesses depend on, and they matter for first responder responses, hurricane evacuation and everyday access to the things we need. These choices add up. They shape the jobs available here, the tax base that funds local services, and whether young people and families can build a career and a life in the community. Harder access means fewer businesses are able to be successful. 

So, the question is: Ten years from now, what do we want Beaufort County to be?
Do we want a community where people get to where they need to be safely and efficiently; where businesses can grow, hire, and thrive; where families can build a good life?

And do you want visitors to pay their fair share? Because that’s what a sales tax option provides.

The answers to those questions can inform your answers to the questions on the ballot.

What’s on the ballot (in layman’s terms)

• Question 1: A one-cent sales tax, in effect for up to nine years or until $780 million is collected, whichever comes first. It would raise the combined county sales tax rate from 6% to 7% and fund three project categories: Safety and Intersection Improvements ($326M), Widening ($205M), and Resurfacing and Dirt Road Paving ($249M). It excludes rent and mortgage payments, gas, unprepared food, and prescriptions.
• Question 2: General obligation bonds of up to $450 million, repaid from Question 1 sales tax revenue. This allows design and construction to begin sooner, rather than waiting for tax collections to accumulate year by year.

Where the Chamber stands
The Chamber supports infrastructure improvements. We want you to have the full picture whatever your view, so we encourage you to be informed in your decision. Voting matters.

Resources

• beaufortcountypenny.com has the ballot questions and the project list.
• Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections is the place to check your registration and find your polling place. You can also reach the office at (843) 255-6900.
• The Beaufort County Safety Action Plan has the crash data cited above.
• Early voting runs October 19–31. Election Day is November 3.