Two Lakelands counties are just beginning the financial planning process, and a third is preparing to try again.

In November, voters in Greenwood and McCormick counties approved a special levy adding 1 percent to the local sales tax, creating a dedicated revenue stream that will raise a combined $88.5 million to pay for a range of capital improvement projects.

Meanwhile, officials in Abbeville – stung by voter rejection of their proposed $9.8 million sales tax initiative – are evaluating how to put the question back in front of voters.

The tax will take effect May 1 and applies to all goods except unprepared food items that can be purchased through federal coupons.

In Greenwood, money from the tax – projected to generate $85 million during the next 8 years – will fund 27 projects, from a new manufacturing training facility at Piedmont Technical College to upgrades at Katherine Hall in Ware Shoals.

Unlike McCormick County, which wrote language into its referendum question allowing the use of bonds to pay for the work, Greenwood County did not. And it’s also unlikely that the order in which the projects appeared on the ballot will be moved.

“Our goal is to keep it the way they’re listed unless there’s some catastrophic reason we should move a project around,” Greenwood County Manager Toby Chappell said.

McCormick County Administrator Columbus Stephens said two public safety items – an emergency radio system and emergency operation center – are top priorities. Together, the projects will cost about $2 million.

Stephens said County Council will decide whether to issue bonds based on projected tax revenues three months after collection starts.

Greenwood County identified as its top priority the Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence at Piedmont Tech, a $13.5 million venture paid for using $6 million from local sales tax dollars, $6 million in state aid and $2 million in privately raised capital.

The 47,000-square-foot building was described by Piedmont Tech President Ray Brooks in August as a cornerstone for Greenwood County’s economic future.

“If we don’t have a vibrant economy that can manufacture things, add value and then sell them someplace else, we can’t maintain a standard of living,” Brooks said at a Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce-sponsored breakfast. “What this project will bring to bear is the ability to train a workforce for practically anything imagined.”

The center’s construction was also a linchpin for the county being able to secure a $600 million investment by Teijin Holdings, which is developing 454 acres off Highway 246.

Greenwood County Council chairman Steve Brown said he’s not in favor of shuffling projects around.

“That was a priority listing on the referendum (ballot),” he said.

Keeping the list intact would mean resisting lobbying efforts by economic development officials such as Heather Simmons Jones, CEO of the Greenwood Partnership Alliance, and County Councilman Theo Lane, who served as chairman of the penny sales tax economic development committee.

Both say a 100,000-square-foot speculative building and site preparation on 3.17 acres of land purchased by the county in March 2015 using $8.4 million from the penny sales tax is critical.

Currently, the project is ranked 10th, pushing its construction back to 2019 or beyond.

“Obviously, we would love to see the construction of the spec building and development of the park commencing sooner rather than later. In terms of how this might be accomplished will largely be dependent on the county,” Jones said. “ I believe that the Partnership Alliance board (of directors) would encourage officials to consider such options as issuance of bonds or partnering with a private developer to complete these vital assets sooner than later. However, no formal action has been taken at this time.”

Lane said he believes readying the site now instead of waiting two years could jump start new investment in the county.

“I think you have to be very, very careful and selective if you start to do that (shuffle projects), because there are people who are just as passionate about parks and recreation and other areas, and those people might say, ‘Why would you do it for this and not that,’” Lane said. “But I would be someone who might be in favor (for moving the industrial park) simply because I think the dividends it pays back can come back to you relatively quickly.”

And while Greenwood and McCormick county leaders consider how to move forward with their projects, Abbeville County leaders are back at the beginning.

“We’re going to be talking with full council in January and seeing what direction we want to go,” Abbeville County Director David Porter said. He said the first quarter of the year will be spent planning.

Revenue from the tax — which was voted down 5,509 to 4,783 — would have funded 21 projects throughout the county, including an expansion of fire services, the installation of waterlines, a county animal shelter and a new civic center in the City of Abbeville.

Contact staff writer Adam Benson at 864-943-5650 or on Twitter @ABensonIJ.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Jan 8, 2017

 By CONOR HUGHES and ADAM BENSON chughes@indexjournal.com abenson@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/news/planning-starts-in-lakelands-for-penny-sales-tax/article_83d4a680-ad00-52e8-b3ab-bc6905b38515.html

After years of planning by city officials and hope by southside residents for the development of a park at the old Greenwood Mills Foundry site, concept is quickly turning into reality.

With voter approval last month of a special sales tax to pay for $85 million worth of capital improvement projects across the county, $1.75 million of that is dedicated to converting the 13.5-acre site from a brownfield to a community-anchoring recreational space.

The levy will be collected by adding 1 percent to the county’s sales and use tax for up to eight years or until the total amount approved by voters is met.

“I am so excited about the idea of it coming to fruition,” said Anne Gunby, a vocal proponent of the plan and resident of the nearby Wisewood Apartments complex. “I guarantee you that we put a lot of time and effort into this.”

City Manager Charlie Barrineau said an actual park opening likely won’t take place until 2019, but officials plan to spend the coming months working through a series of transactions with local, state and federal agencies to create the facility.

“Our goal will be to do a lot of leg work in 2017 with hopes of moving toward design into 2018, with hopefully some construction starting before the end (of 2018),” Barrineau said. “I would say that it would not be likely for anything to be open to the public until 2019.”

Barrineau said the city should collect $1 million near the end of 2018 from the penny sales tax, with the balance of funds for the South Greenwood Park available by year seven.

Currently, the land is owned by the Greenwood Housing Authority’s nonprofit arm, which bought it from Greenwood Mills in 2004. The City Council provided the authority with $50,000 to demolish and remove the old foundry structure.

“The site is ideal (for a park) because of its central location to Main Street,” Barrineau said. It’s also surrounded by several neighborhoods including Blyth Heights, Panola, Mathews Mill, Wisewood and the authority itself.

The project might sound familiar to some southend residents. It was the subject of a 2012 public meeting to gauge community input on the city’s efforts at creating green park space at the site.

Barrineau said 2017 figures to be a busy year for the future park, starting in the early months when the city council will be asked to sign an agreement with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control on a “non-voluntary cleanup contract.”

That action protects the city from any environmental liability with an agreement that officials will implement a state-approved cleanup and redevelopment plan. By the summer, Barrineau said the council intends to ask the Housing Authority to deed the property – which requires authority board approval – for construction of a public park.

Next fall, Barrineau said Greenwood plans to apply for a $200,000 cleanup grant through the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which can’t be done without the state agreement and direct ownership of the property.

“In essence, the city intends to leverage the fact that we have anticipated CPST revenue to secure grant funds,” Barrineau said. “Cleanup funds could assist the city to remove contaminated materials and implement a plan to cap (them) on site.”

Another revenue stream could be the state Revolving Brownfield Loan Fund that can also the promise of dedicated money from the penny sales tax to secure a non-refundable grant.

The Greenwood Parks and Trails Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding the county’s recreation portfolio, is also interested in bringing a park to the south side. Foundation President Billy Nicholson signed an application to the penny sales tax committee advocating for the project.

“If constructed in such a manner to serve as a regional destination, the city of Greenwood can utilize local hospitality tax dollars to maintain the facility,” Nicholson wrote. “The vision of the park is to be similar to that of West Cambridge Park. The current proposal also includes the development of a large multi-purpose area (open space, soccer field, etc).”

Contact staff writer Adam Benson at 864-943-5650 or on Twitter@ABensonIJ.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Dec 12, 2016

 By ADAM BENSON abenson@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/news/south-greenwood-park-plan-moving-from-concept-to-reality-with-cpst-funding/article_ec6baa29-1891-5be7-b489-2a0ba08e180b.html

Greenwood County’s proposed 8-year, $85 million investment in 27 capital improvement projects will move forward after voters on Tuesday widely approved a referendum authorizing a special penny sales tax to pay for the work.

According to unofficial results, the ballot question received 15,056 votes in favor and 7,965 against, with 39 out of 48 precincts reporting. The outcome means Piedmont Technical College can create its Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence; sheriff’s deputies will be provided with upgraded radio systems; U.S. Highway 246 will be widened to accommodate major new business development and the city will see the creation of an industrial park on its north side.

It’s the second time since 2007 county leaders asked voters to assess a special sales tax to boost the region’s economy and financial health. Projects that came out of that referendum included a new $10 million library in Greenwood and retiring $10.5 million in debt.

This year’s ballot question was accompanied by an aggressive marketing campaign led by the Greenwood Area Chamber of Commerce, whose “Yes for Greenwood County” push included billboards, the creation of a Facebook page, community forums and a public information blitz.

Contact staff writer Adam Benson at 864-943-5650 or on Twitter @ABensonIJ.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on: Nov 9, 2016

 By ADAM BENSONabenson@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/news/voters-approve-greenwood-penny-sales-tax-by-large-margin/article_253416da-3341-569c-911e-2027d9d1456b.html

A Japanese chemical technology company that specializes in the production of carbon fiber is making the largest single-day investment in Greenwood County history – a move so significant that one local leader called it a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

Teijin will spend $600 million and create 220 jobs, building a facility on more than 454 acres off Highway 246. Construction is expected to start in the summer.

“This is going to be our shining star for the year,” Greenwood Partnership Alliance CEO Heather Simmons Jones said. “Greenwood was ultimately selected as the successful site because of its excellent training available at Piedmont Technical College, an abundance of water and a history of welcoming foreign investment.”

Securing an agreement with Teijin has been seven years in the making. Simmons Jones traveled to Japan earlier this year to meet with company executives.

A centerpiece in Greenwood’s efforts at luring Teijin are local commitments to widen Highway 246 and the construction of a Center of Manufacturing Excellence at Piedmont Tech – items included in the $85 million capital projects sales tax initiative on the ballot for Tuesday.

Piedmont Tech President Ray Brooks said Teijin’s pending arrival in Greenwood “is probably one of the most exciting things I’ve been involved in in my career.”

“All the boards/groups that came together — this is like the Cubs winning the (World) Series. It’s been a long time coming. Words are not adequate to describe the magnitude of the impact on this county’s future,” he said.

The venture, code named “Project Café,” was first discussed publicly at a Tuesday County Council meeting, but the company’s identity was not released until 9 a.m. Friday.

The council will have a public hearing and is expected to approve a fee-in-lieu-of taxes agreement, or FILOT that will reimburse all or a share of property taxes for 22 years, on Dec. 6. To be eligible, Teijin must invest the estimated money and create the promised number of jobs within 13 years.

Teijin purchased the land – identified on county property maps as “Teijin Holdings USA Inc.” between 1008 and 1122 Highway 246 and Hillcrest Farm Road – for $6.3 million from Carolina Pride in May. Fujifilm’s campus is adjacent to Teijin, and Portucel Sporcel’s wood pellet plant is across the highway.

The Greenwood employees will join 16,000 others across 20 countries and Teijin’s 150 companies. It posted consolidated sales of 790.7 billion Japanese yen, or $7.4 billion, and total assets of 823.4 billion Japanese yen, or $7.7 billion, in the fiscal year ending March 31. The announcement means Teijin becomes the sixth highest single-day investment in South Carolina over the last five years, according to the state Department of Commerce.

Failure to invest the estimated amount of money or meet the job target could result in tax incentives being modified.

Teijin’s carbon fiber manufacturing facility in Greenwood will supply the automotive, aerospace and industrial markets.

“We are hopeful that because this is an emerging market, a growing industry sector, there will be opportunities for future growth,” Simmons Jones said.

However, said County Council Chairman Steve Brown, Greenwood leaders are confident Teijin will deliver and become a major player in the region’s economy.

“The economic benefits that this project will bring to Greenwood, they’re just tremendous. In years to come, we will look back on this day as very, very good for the county and our citizens,” he said. “Everybody in Greenwood County can feel good about a project of this nature.”

Greenwood Mayor Welborn Adams said even though the plant isn’t located within city limits, there will be a benefit to the municipal economy with the number of new jobs being produced.

“It’s a community-changing company that only arrives a couple of times in your lifetime,” he said. Adams said long-term planning helped secure the agreement.

“These companies are very deliberate in making their decisions and you’ve got to put the ground work in place years before. It’s why we did (The) Greenwood Promise and penny sales tax Everything is tied to the future in getting the skilled workforce these companies need,” he said.

Frank Wideman, chairman of the Greenwood Partnership Alliance’s board of directors, said the organization was tenacious in navigating details of the deal.

“This is by far the longest relationship we’ve ever had with a company that was interested in moving into Greenwood. You had the county, city and business community working together to further create opportunities for people in the county,” he said.

In a prepared statement, Teijin Director of Government Relations Wayne Trotter hinted at the company’s long-term plans for its Greenwood County site.

“We plan to invest in resources to develop new and innovative products to meet the increasing demands of the global carbon fiber market,” he said.

In May, the Nikkei Asian Review said Teijin’s Greenwood plant will be the company’s largest investment in 10 years and will boost its carbon fiber output capacity by 30 percent, to 14,500 tons annually.

Teijin’s main fields of operation include high-performance fibers, such as aramid, carbon fibers and companies, resin processing, polyester fibers and more.

Trotter cited the state and Greenwood’s “pro-business atmosphere” as a catalyst for Teijin setting up operations here.

Teijin will become the second major manufacturer to open up along the Highway 246 corridor since April 2015, when Portucel Sporcel Group broke ground on its $110 million Colombo energy wood pellet plant.

“Greenwood County has worked diligently throughout this process to cultivate our relationship with Teijin, and as our relationship transitions into this new phase, we are confident they will be great corporate citizens in the community,” County Manager Toby Chappell said.

Details on hiring for the new positions will be announced after completion of ongoing engineering studies. For more on the company, visit teijin.com.

Contact staff writer Adam Benson at 864-943-5650 or on Twitter@ABensonIJ.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Nov 4, 2016

 By ADAM BENSON abenson@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/news/teijin-to-make-largest-single-day-investment-in-greenwood-county-history/article_da2a7f0e-099e-50b5-bd1c-c4ff9ecd385c.html

I will be voting yes on Nov. 8 for the penny sales tax. If passed by the voters of Greenwood County, this penny tax will provide funding for a number of projects, including the important area of public safety.

I have read about the Fire Service Master Plan and the Countywide radio system. I was surprised and disappointed to learn of the state of radio communications among our public safety entities. I found it hard to believe the radio communication is so unreliable that many of the firefighters in my district use their mobile phones to organize a response to an emergency. It was also disappointing to learn the fire service, police and EMS cannot talk to each other directly by radio. They have to route communications through the dispatchers.

The Fire Service Master Plan pointed out the need to build additional stations and the Public Safety Training Facility. When we as residents have an emergency, we want help quickly, and we want those coming to help trained to resolve our problem. The plan also calls for badly needed new trucks to be purchased for each of our volunteer fire departments. My fire department has four trucks; all but one is between 25 and 35 years old. In my district, 80 percent of our area is without fire hydrants, so when there is a fire the firefighters have to bring water and shuttle it to the fire.

Please vote yes on the Capital Project Sales Tax referendum.

MARILYN MURPHY

Ninety Six

Originally Published by Index-Journal on:Oct 26, 2016

By  MARILYN MURPHY

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/opinion/letters/penny-sales-tax-will-meet-public-need/article_a3255c40-ad6b-5794-a20e-0070b1884dae.html