County staff briefed the Town of James Island council on a possible extension of the county transportation sales tax (TST), summarizing investments from two prior half-penny levies and asking residents and municipalities to submit priorities through a public survey that runs through Dec. 1.

Presenters said the two half-penny measures enacted over the last 20 years have funded roughly $4.56 billion in infrastructure improvements, including resurfacing, sidewalks, 49 miles of bike paths and improvements to 69 intersections. Staff provided a funding breakdown that averaged approximately 13% for greenbelt preservation, about 62% for infrastructure and roughly 25% for public transit across the two measures. They also noted that county investments leveraged about $1.2 billion in outside funding (federal and state grants).

The county is asking municipalities to submit a publicly vetted prioritized list of desired projects by Dec. 1 and will compile survey results and municipal feedback to report to county council early next year. Staff emphasized growth projections — a 33% population increase over two decades and another projected 42,000 residents in the next 10 years — as context for continuing infrastructure investment. The presenters also described common priority categories in the survey: greenbelt preservation, sidewalks and neighborhood infill, public transit options (including Lowcountry Rapid Transit), rural safety (shoulder and shoulder-build-up) and intersection improvements.

Council members and residents asked for jurisdictional breakdowns (e.g., resurfacing responsibilities) and noted the county would publish summary data to inform decisions. County staff confirmed they will accept and tabulate municipal lists and resident feedback and that the council will weigh that input when deciding whether to place a referendum on the ballot next March. No formal commitment to place the measure on the ballot was recorded during the meeting.