Horry County Council votes in favor of special election to improve private road
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Horry County Council met and discussed a number of hot topic items during Tuesday night’s meeting.
Legends Drive proposed special tax district
Council voted in favor of holding a special election to potentially create a special tax district to repair Legends Drive off Highway 501. Many people who attended said they are against it.
“You’ve set up a system that allows someone to put in a private road, make his money and skate,” a resident who is against the tax said. “It’s your responsibility to make them live up to their obligations. What you’re asking us to do is to reach into our pockets.”
Many hands in the room went up to show opposition to a potential special tax that Legends Drive neighbors could begin paying.
Council deferred the plan at its last meeting, to look more into the legal side. Documents show it would require nearly $2.4 million to repair the road. The county said the special election would most likely be held on July 23.
Councilman Michael Masciarelli, who represents District 8 ,voted in favor of the plan.
“If you are opposed, you vote against it,” Masciarelli said. “If you’re for it, vote for it. But no one, as a council, including myself, is forcing it on you. We are giving you the opportunity to vote as you see fit.”
Legends Drive residents will now vote on the special tax. If the majority votes in favor, it will go back to council for three readings.
RIDE IV
Council also passed first reading to impose a one percent tax for RIDE IV projects.
The committee said the RIDE program has collected pennies since 2007 to go towards a variety of infrastructure projects to meet the growing population.
A part of the first reading could send it to Novembers’ ballot asking residents if they are in favor of the next phase of the penny tax.
It would be imposed for no more than 25 years or until $6.3 million has been collected.
“I believe that this is an opportunity and a way for us to look forward and move forward reacting to the people coming here,” a RIDE IV committee member said. “The people are going to keep moving.”
2025 Fiscal Year Budget
Council also passed a second reading for the 2025 Fiscal Year Budget.
The total county budget increased to $833 million. That’s a $55.7 million increase from 2024. It would also add 99 county positions.
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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.
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