During a meeting held Tuesday, Lexington County Council voted to suspend discussions and planning regarding the Capital Project Sales Tax, more commonly known as the Penny Sales Tax. The vote to suspend the tax is due to potential economic impacts the Lexington County community has felt as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We feel that it is in the best interest of our taxpayers to not impose such a tax at this time given the current economic conditions caused by the coronavirus,” County Council Chairman Scott Whetstone said.

The tax would be a 1% sales tax on retail goods that would directly fund transportation infrastructure improvements throughout the County. Although plans to create the referendum for the November 2020 ballot have now been tabled, County Council expressed they do want to explore the referendum again in the future.

Recently, the Capital Project Sales Tax Commission - a six-person commission, four of whom were appointed by Lexington County Council and two additional members appointed by those members appointed by Council - held a meeting to discuss which roadway-improvement projects had been submitted for consideration.  The CPST Commission will be dissolved and will be reappointed when County Council desires to explore the tax in the future.

“It is critical that Lexington County taxpayers, who travel our roadways on their way to work and on their way home, know how critical such a tax can be in improving and maintaining our roads,” Whetstone said.