Public Hearing for the 2026 Sales Tax Referendum, Thursday, October 8, 2026 5:00 p.m.

The Beaufort County Board of Voter Registration and Elections held a public hearing on October 8, 2026, concerning the November 3 transportation sales-tax referendum. The presentation described a proposed 1% sales and use tax lasting up to nine years or until it raises $780 million, whichever comes first, for county transportation projects, including intersection and safety work, resurfacing, dirt-road paving, and road widening. A second ballot question would authorize up to $450 million in bonds, repaid from the sales-tax revenue, to accelerate project delivery. The project list was developed through a 15-member Transportation Advisory Committee and public outreach; the ordinance also provides for a seven-member citizen oversight committee and encourages seeking grants and matching funds. No contract awards, procurement approvals, or votes were taken at the hearing, though some projects from the prior 2018 program were described as still in design or bidding, with contract awards expected to come before council.

Public speakers who testified largely urged voters to reject the proposal, citing concerns about public trust, delays and delivery of 2018 projects, the independence and accountability of the proposed oversight committee, and whether the project list sufficiently prioritizes the most dangerous intersections. The presentation said the referendum would not tax unprepared groceries and explained that the bond question would be ineffective if the tax question failed. The hearing was informational and did not change the referendum or authorize spending.