Personal Injury Attorney in Sumter, SC

On November 5th, voters in Sumter approved a 1% capital projects sale tax. Right now, 30 projects are currently on the agenda.

SUMTER, S.C. — On November 5th, voters in Sumter approved a 1 percent capital projects sales tax, commonly know as a penny tax. Right now, 30 projects are currently on the agenda to be funding by the revenue the tax will generate.

But with a long list of items that will be funded by the tax, some are wondering where the $125 million will go.

Some posted in public Facebook groups in Sumter County that they'd heard the money was going to build new airport hangars and they didn't understand why. News19 checked with the county, who confirmed that was one of the projects the county had said months ago the penny tax would be used for.

Joe Perry, a spokesman for Sumter County, told News19 there are a total of 30 projects on the list.

Perry said the largest amount is $64 million, which will go towards infrastructure. Over $38 million will fund seven public safety projects. $16 million will be used for quality-of-life improvements, and $6 million for a push in economic development with three projects, including the one million dollars to improve the Sumter airport terminal and allow construction of 4 new hangars.

Jeff Knauer, airport manager for Sumter County Airport, said the improvements needed and helpful for economic development.

“We have a great story to tell right now. There is a lot of good economic activity that is generated by the airport and through the airport, and that’s what we want to keep going," Knauer said.

Knauer said the airport is 90 percent business aviation and 10 percent recreational which all brings more economic development to the county.

“This money will provide the money necessary to put pavement on the ground so that aircrafts can taxi and access those hangars that will also allow us the put the appropriate lighting and signage and all that kind of stuff so that we have the opportunity to attract more hangars to the airport," Knauer added.

He said the expansion is necessary to attract more attention to the area with the hopes to host more businesses already using their four current hangars.

“We would love to see four more," Knauer said. "That’s our hope to attract four private hangars out here with the ability to get 15 or 20 more aircrafts based at the Sumter airport."

It’s important to note this not the first time the tax has been approved, Voters said yes 10 years ago to the penny tax and approved it a second time. Over that time, the money raised allowed over 160 projects were funded throughout the county.

For more information on what the tax is you can read about it here.

Projects under the third capital sales tax will get underway next spring.

Beginning Jan. 6, district students can no longer use their electronic devices during school hours.

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SUMTER, S.C. — The Sumter County School District joined the growing list of districts across South Carolina that are preparing to enact policies limiting student access to electronic devices during the school day.

It’s all part of a plan to ensure compliance with the state proviso aimed at preventing cell phones from being a distraction in the classroom.

Dr. William Wright Jr., superintendent of Sumter District Schools, shared his thoughts with fellow board members before they voted on the new electronic communication devices policy.

“It is a paradigm shift, at least on paper from what we have been doing,” Wright Jr. said.

The new policy will prohibit students from accessing their cell phones or other personal electronic devices during the school day unless those devices have been approved for classroom educational use.

Board member Shery White said the district, like all districts across the state, is implementing the policy to satisfy requirements from the state legislature.

“The legislature passed a proviso that indicated we had to have a policy composed and implemented by the first of the year. We just are required to restrict access, in some form or fashion during the school day,” White said.

Beginning Jan. 6, students will no longer be allowed to access their phones or other devices from when they arrive on campus until the dismissal bell at the end of the day.

The policy allows device use on field trips, during after-school activities, and at sports events.

White said safety was also considered during the creation of the policy.

“Our district has a very good communication ladder that they use to inform parents when things happen. We have an app, and that can be used as an instant communication device by our communication director, the principal at a school where an incident may be occurring. So there is access for the parents to be informed almost immediately,” White said.

The district says the policy does include exceptions for medically necessary devices.

At Wednesday's board meeting, members also discussed the need to survey parents and teachers next spring to determine whether any adjustments to the policy are needed.