HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WPDE) — In less than two weeks, Horry County residents will have a choice to vote yes or no on the 25-year one percent sales tax called Ride IV.
It’s the first attempt at the transportation tax to improve roads and pave new ones in the county.
While road projects are most important to residents, public transit services like Coast RTA on the Grand Strand want to remind residents that they will also be voting to keep them on the roads as well.
CEO of Coast RTA, Brian Piascik said this ride is crucial to increasing services.
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In Ride IV, if its successful we will get 5.45 percent of the proceeds out of the sales tax, which is huge for us its money we can count on its got growth in it, so we can move forward to adding services,” said Piascik.
Conway City Councilman, William Goldfinch said a starting point is what matters most when it comes to Ride IV.
We have to start somewhere, and I think that somewhere is in the ballot box on November 5,” said Goldfinch.
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Ride IV includes an extensive list of transportation projects.
In the past, the ride projects were a seven to eight-year tax.
In Ride IV, the tax is for more than 20 years, with many residents feeling concerned, frustrated, and filled with emotion in Horry County about the timeliness.
With Coast RTA getting a percentage of the proceeds, Goldfinch expressed it could help public transportation in many ways.
It would allow for those that are homebound that don’t have a way to get to the doctor, to schedule an appointment with Coast RTA to come and pick them up,” said Goldfinch.
Piascik said projects like a new maintenance facility, Myrtle Beach transit center, and replacing the building in Conway will be possible with ride funding and that could lead to fewer motorists.
Also, pulling a few people out of cars, so that maybe we don’t have to widen in some areas, but that obviously requires a significant investment,” said Piascik.
It would require a significant decision for voters as Goldfinch said, and could impact all generations of Horry County.
This serves those that have real needs that don’t have transportation, and so I see this as an opportunity to help folks all across the board from A-Z,” said Goldfinch.
Goldfinch said that he wants residents to remember two-thirds of this tax will be paid by tourists coming into Horry County.
Early voting is now accessible throughout Horry County, and election day is November 5.
