JANUARY 9–15, 2025
WWW.YOURISLANDNEWS.COM
COVERING BEAUFORT COUNTY
It’s a matter of trust
Alice Howard addresses the Beaufort County Council after being elected as the new Chairman on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in Council Chambers. Amber Hewitt/The Island News
SCOTT GRABER
LOLITA HUCKABY
Council, administration must regain voters’ faith
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iving this (Beaufort County) Council almost a billion dollars when they have not shown themselves capable of managing less than $200 million is akin to buying a kid a sports car after he has wrecked Mom’s old Volvo and grandpa’s pickup.” That’s the way one local resident, Lewis Tabb, described the outcome of November 2024’s failed vote on a $950 million sales tax referendum designed to raise money for road improvements, paved dirt roads and bridge planning. The majority of Beaufort County voters who turned out rejected this latest fundraising effort by county officials with 55 percent of the vote. While just across the county line, in neighboring Jasper County, a similar sales tax referendum for road projects passed with the same percentage. Beaufort County, one of the five wealthiest counties in South Carolina, has
revenues in excess of $150 million. Much of this money is generated by the 103,579 housing units with a median value of $377,900. However, that’s still not enough money to meet the repair and replacement demands placed on the county’s road and bridges, even with state and federal funding support. Beginning in 1998 a referendum was placed on the ballot asking the public for authority to add a penny to the local sales tax. This additional penny generated $40 million that was used to replace, among other things, two old bridges across the Broad and Chechesee Rivers. In 2006 another sales tax referendum was successful, generating $152 million with dollars directed to improvements on the Bluffton Parkway, U.S. Highway 278
SEE TRUST PAGE A4
County Council elects Howard as new chair By Delayna Earley The Island News The new year has brought in a wave of change for Beaufort County Council. Councilwoman Alice Howard of District 4 was elected as the new County Council Chairman, and Anna Anna Maria Maria Taber- Tabernick nick of District 6 was elected as the vice chairman during the oath of office ceremony
SEE CHAIR PAGE A5
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hundreds of people welcomed 2025 by gathering to watch the fireworks over the Beaufort River from Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. Amber Hewitt/The Island News NEWS
STATE NEWS
MILITARY
INSIDE
Remembering a trailblazer: Former Port Royal Mayor Robinson dies.
America’s 250th birthday prompts rethinking of historical markers.
Army’s Soldier of the Month, Sgt. Jalen Wright has local ties.
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Lowcountry Life A2 News A2–5 Education A6 Sports A7 Health A8–9 Voices A10–11
State News Local Events Military Directory Classifieds Games
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