Personal Injury Attorney in Anderson, SC

Anderson County voters will decide whether to approve a proposed penny sales tax on Election Day.

The tax aims to fund repairs and improvements to area roads, intersections, and bridges, such as work on the Highway I-81 corridor.

In January, the Anderson County Council unanimously voted to add a penny sales tax referendum to the November ballot. The referendum's outcome will determine whether the projects receive financial support for repairs.

If approved, the one percent sales tax increase in Anderson County would start in May 2025 and continue through April 2032 or until the required revenue is generated to fund transportation projects.

Matt Hogan, Anderson County roads and bridges manager said the goal is to raise about $366 million for the improvements. Anderson County maintains more than 1,550 miles of pavement and over 150 bridges.

Hogan noted that while $366 million won't be sufficient to fund every road and bridge issue, it will enable significant enhancements throughout the county.

In addition to the penny sales tax, the referendum will also ask voters to approve a $15 million bond to address urgent road repairs that "have been pending for some time," Hogan said.

"This bond would allow work to start immediately, ensuring critical infrastructure issues are addressed without delay, " Hogan said. "The bond would be repaid with revenue from the proposed sales tax increase."

If passed, crews will start paving in spring 2025 prioritizing areas overdue for maintenance and upgrades.

Alternatives to penny sales tax explored

According to Anderson County Town Administrator Rusty Burns, the county also considered raising property taxes as a potential solution. However, residents resisted citing the financial burden. Burns estimated that maintaining county roads costs $1,000,000 per mile.

He said maintaining roads without increasing taxes poses a significant challenge. The county has not raised taxes in 16 years "despite one brief tax increase that was quickly rolled back when residents expressed they were wary of any additional financial burden," said Burns.

A vehicle tax was also considered, but "even with a tax of $15, $20, or $25 per vehicle, the revenue generated would still fall short of what is needed to make a meaningful impact on road maintenance," Burns added.

He said the proposed penny sales tax would not fund other projects like parks or playgrounds, going exclusively to road maintenance.

Residents worried about penny sales tax

Some residents expressed concern about how the tax will impact their pocketbooks over time.

"I'm with everyone saying 'no,' " said David Bebelheimer, an Anderson County resident. "I don't mind paying taxes on my car if the roads were better around here."

Burns said the penny sales tax proposal initially included groceries, which raised additional concerns among residents. However, the county removed unprepared food from the tax meaning groceries are not included in the tax.

Who will pay for the penny sales tax?

Anderson County continues to grow as a destination area with attractions like Lake Hartwell, Clemson football and other events; as such, Burns estimated tourists will contribute 35 percent to 40 percent of revenue from the tax.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.

With less than 20 days until Election Day on Nov. 5, here's what you need to know about voting early in South Carolina, including locations, what to take, how to see a ballot, and referendums on the ballot.

Where can I vote early in person?

You can vote early, beginning Oct. 21 through Nov. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The state’s election commission has a county-by-county list of early voting centers.

Where can I vote early in Greenville?

McAlister Square, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville

Mauldin Senior Center, 203 Corn Road. Greenville

Mt. Pleasant Community Center, 710 S. Fairfield Road, Greenville

Calvary Baptist Church – Student Center, 207 Davenport Road, Simpsonville

Travelers Rest Council Chambers – City Hall, 125 Trailblazer Drive, Travelers Rest

Northwest Campus Greenville Technical College – Heritage Hall, 8109 White Horse Road, Greenville

Benson Campus Greenville Technical College – Benson Pavilion, 2522 Locust Hill Road, Taylors

Where can I vote early in Spartanburg?

Spartanburg County Board of Voter Registration & Elections, 366 N. Church St. #1630 Spartanburg

Woodruff Library, 270 E. Hayne St. Woodruff

Boiling Springs Library, 871 Double Bridge Road, Boiling Springs

Middle Tyger Library, 170 Groce Road, Lyman

Where can I vote early in Anderson?

Anderson County Board of Voter Registration & Elections, 301 N. Main St., Anderson

Pendleton Library, 650 S. Mechanic St., Pendleton

Powdersville Library, 4 Civic Ct. Powdersville

Watkins Community Center, 2 Louisiana St., Honea Path

When is Election Day?

The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voters will select their choice for president, congressional, state, and local offices. Visit your polling place in your precinct from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to vote. Check for your polling place on the South Carolina Election Commission’s website before leaving to vote in case a polling place has changed.

What do I need to take with me to vote?

You will need to show a photo ID to vote, which can be a driver’s license, an ID card issued by the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, a voter registration card with a photo, a federal military ID, or a U.S. passport.

How can I see my ballot?

Find your sample ballot, at scvotes.gov/voters/absentee-voting/

What referendums will be on the ballot?

A referendum is when residents vote for or against a law or initiative on a specific issue. Referendums on the ballot will depend on where you live and can be found on the election commission’s website.

A statewide referendum will be on the ballot regarding an article of the constitution asking if it should be amended to “provide that only a citizen of the United States and of this age of eighteen who is eighteen and upwards who is properly registered is entitled to vote as provided by law?”

Greenville County voters will decide whether to implement a one percent sales tax to raise funds for roads.

Anderson County voters will have two transportation sales taxes on the ballot.

In Spartanburg, voters will have five referendums, all regarding fire districts in the county.

Editor's Note: In South Carolina, early voting for the Nov. 5 election begins Oct. 21. The Anderson Independent asked candidates in contested races to answer questions related to the office they seek before ballots are cast.

Kristy Harrell Huskey, 72, Ernest E Mackins, 53, Andy Patrick, 50, and Bill Thompson, 38, are running for school board at large in Anderson County School District 5. Here's what the candidates had to say.

What town/city do you live in?

Thompson: Anderson

Mackins: Anderson, South Carolina

Huskey: Belton

Patrick: Anderson, SC

What is your professional background?

Thompson: Nuclear power

Mackins: I have been an educator (teacher/administrator) for the last 21 years. Before that, I worked in business in Anderson, South Carolina, for 15 years, serving as a retail store manager and assistant bank manager.

Huskey: Special education consultant

Patrick: Owner - Attaway Printing B.A. - Erskine College

Why are you running for school board? What will be your top priorities if elected?

Thompson: As a Christian, I believe fixing public schools is not too big a task for God. I believe we need more oversight and accountability in Anderson School District 5. I am committed to no new taxes in order to combat poverty, promote fiscal responsibility and remove wasteful spending. My top priorities are to provide oversight of schools and administration via in-person observations, involve the public in board meetings and the decision-making process and improve conditions for teachers by creating an environment conducive to raising concerns without fear of retaliation/retribution.

Mackins: I am running for the school board because I want to support the people. I want to work for the students and the teachers. The students are more than just test scores; they are human beings and people who are the future leaders in America and the world. As such, we must encourage them to become critical thinkers and lifelong learners, and teachers should do just that. I will support our teachers to help ensure that they get everything they need in and outside of the classroom to educate our students. I support the administrators, the staff, and our community.

Huskey: If elected, I will be the ONLY teacher on the school board. As an experienced principal and special education teacher, I read that more than half of the students in A5 are not reading or proficient in math. I wanted to help. I believe that we can implement programs to provide small, individualized instruction with successful research-based programs. We must maintain qualified teachers in a encouraging environment. School safety is top priority. Mental Health services need to be onsite for teachers/ students. Our emphasis should be on students reading and math success.

Patrick: I have served one term on the ASD5 Board of Trustees, and I want to continue our district's strong academic, athletic, and extracurricular successes. Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, and I hope to continue strengthening our district.

What, if anything, do you think needs to be done to address growth in your district?

Thompson: Population growth in our county has yet to translate to growth inside of our schools. In fact, in the past five years, student enrollment in Anderson County School District 5 has actually decreased by nearly 500 students. Families are fleeing public schools for homeschooling, private schooling, charter schools and hybrid formats. Public trust in Anderson County School District 5 is at an all-time low. I am committed to the well-being of our current citizens and will not unduly burden them with higher taxes to prepare for student population growth which may or may not come to fruition.

Mackins: We must include all students in our communities and ensure they feel accepted at schools. Secondly, we need to do our best to make sure that we have space to accommodate the growth in the community by having schools ready when the students come. This means purchasing land and building schools with the community's growth in mind. We also need highly trained teachers and support staff to accommodate the students. Then, we need administrators with a vision of what our schools should be doing and a clear direction for the future. These administrators need to support all the teachers and faculty.

Huskey: We must make sure our schools are the safest and that our priority is student success. Since school choice is a law, I believe that starting a Montessori stream or other charter schools will give parents, students and teachers options. I think we should develop a career shadowing program so students have work experience before deciding on a vocation. I believe smaller community schools are more effective than larger ones. We need another high school, much like the old McDuffie High.

Patrick: Like most Upstate SC communities, we are seeing steady population growth. As a public school system, we are committed to providing the opportunity for ALL students to be great. We are having ongoing discussions about potential land acquisition, and modifying some of our current school facilities. I feel the collaboration of city and county officials, community members, and the school district in discussions on accommodating local growth and meeting all students needs is vital.

Students' safety at school is always top of mind for families. What do you think the school board could do to make your district's schools safer?

Thompson: School security must continue to increase as threats to student safety are ever-increasing. In-person observations will help me determine how to improve school safety as well as collaborating with law enforcement and security experts. Clear bags, weapon detection systems, more resource officers are all on the table as well as ensuring current security protocols are properly implemented. Although we live in a dangerous world, we can continue to identify and implement multiple layers of safety to reduce risk and keep our children as safe as possible.

Mackins: The leaders of the schools, as well as the school board, need to get to know the community. People really need to know that they can trust you, which will begin to make schools safer. Should one arise, the school board needs to ensure that each school has an SRO and that the schools need to know how to respond to crises. Schools should be safe places for our students, and yet, in the society in which we live, it may be necessary to have metal detectors in our schools to keep out all weapons and other contraband. Our schools need to be safe for everyone who works at them or teachers in them.

Huskey: I believe that the incident at TL Hanna was a great example of safety. I do believe that not opening the front doors in the mornings could be a target for a shooter, so I think students should have to go through the doors as soon as they arrive and not loiter outside. I think we need to have all the supplies in the school so no book bags are needed. Another idea is to have alerts on name tags that when they are pushed, the office knows who pushed it and where they are located. Phones can be allowed only with permission.

Patrick: Anderson School District 5 has made significant strides in addressing school safety over recent years. We have Student Resource Officers in all of our schools and multiple in our high schools. The addition of the Evolv weapons detection systems in our high schools has already proven to be very effective. Just last month, this technology prevented a student with a gun from entering TL Hanna High School. Also, mobile Evolv systems are being used at sporting and other events. Anderson School District 5 takes student and staff safety very seriously.

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WILLIAMSTON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - A suspect in an explosives investigation has been taken into custody after an hours-long manhunt along Highway 29 in Anderson County.

The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said Anthony Kyle Jenkins was using everyday household items to create small explosions. When deputies approached Jenkins in the woods where he lives along Highway 29, they said he ran away.

A large search ensued in the area of Highway 29 and Allie Campbell Road involving multiple law enforcement agencies, K9s, drones, and bomb squad robots.

“We had hoped that he would just come into custody, we could just have a conversation; but as soon as he took off on foot, unfortunately, the scene became larger than what was intended,” Shale Remien, Public Information Officer for the Anderson Co. Sheriff’s Office, said.

Shortly before 2 p.m., Jenkins was taken into custody and charged with possession of a destructive device. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, ATF and the FBI assisted in the case.

“We’re thankful to have that away from his hands. It’s just something we don’t want in our community. It’s something we don’t wany anyone to come across-goodness forbid a child or something like that,” Remien added.

He is now facing 17 counts of possession of a destructive device and one count of possession of a weapon by a felon.

Remien said Jenkins may have been using the explosives to deter other unhoused people in the area from coming to where he lived.

FOX Carolina spoke to a neighbor who said she knows Jenkins and heard the commotion.

“All I know is, I was in the bathroom, and I heard him out there, and he said ‘Shoot I forgot something.’ And then he came running back out. He was trucking fast,” she said.

The neighbor, who referred to Jenkins as ‘Kyle,’ said he had a temper at times but was always kind to her.

“He always make sure we had food. He always makes sure you got ice. If there is anything, like if my son is working in the garage, and you need some help, Kyle would go out there and say, ‘What do you need? I’ll help you,’” the neighbor said.

Jenkins is being held at the Anderson Co. Detention Center.

On Friday, Jenkins was denied bond by a judge.

Stay with FOX Carolina for updates on this developing story.

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