COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Lexington County Council members unanimously voted to postpone indefinitely $30 vehicle registration fee.

The registration fee was the second attempt to source funding for road improvements. Council members agreed that implementing the proposal was not what residents wanted.

“My recommendation would be to postpone indefinitely and for you all to start working on advertising and marketing for two years from now,” said current council member Scott Whetstone, who is not up for re-election to another term.

“I think this is the wrong time for now and the voters and citizens of this county are struggling and I agree this is not the way to go,” he said.

In 2022, the county voted against a penny tax or 1% sales tax; This is something many council members still support.

There was controversy in neighboring Richland County after an audit showed the county wasted nearly $30 million on the penny tax.

Councilman Todd Cullum spoke at the council meeting and said residents were letting what happened in Richland County influence their votes.

WIS News 10 asked residents if they would vote in favor of a penny tax in Lexington County because the council has plans to put it on the ballot again in 2026.

“I know what’s going on in Richland County and they don’t know where the money is going,” Lexington business owner Kevin Ivey said.

Another local business owner, Karen Norman, said she would vote in favor.

He said: “I think a penny tax is a small fee to pay across the board as it’s the only solution we can do, it’s certainly an improvement, we’ve got to do something to fix ourselves.”

Councilwoman Debra Summers asked if the referendum would include the option of a penny tax or registration fee.

“Can we also participate in the penny referendum? Do you want a penny tax or a vehicle fee? Give them a choice,” Summers said.

Currently, the majority of funds used to improve roads in the county are “C-fund,” a partnership with the South Carolina Department of Transportation which allocates funds from the gas tax for improvements across the state.

At the meeting, the council voted to allocate $9 million in C funds for road improvements.

It includes $1 million for lane widening on Longs Pond Rd and half a million for the McCall and McQueen Street rehabilitation and interchange project.

County officials tell WIS News 10 the completion timeline for these road projects has not yet been determined

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