Legislative eNews

Government Affairs Update from the Hilton Head Island-
Bluffton Chamber of Commerce -- Oct. 24-26, 2005

www.hiltonheadisland.org
www.highway278.org

Topic #1 -- County seeks to clarify its new admissions fee -- Beaufort County Council on Oct. 24 approved the first of three readings of an ordinance amendment that seeks to clarify the county's new admissions fee that went into effect Oct. 1.  The amendment will provide clarification that the 2.5 percent admissions fee will not be charged on membership dues, such as to a golf or yacht club.  When County Council members originally approved the fee on July 25, their intent was not to charge the fee on membership dues.  The fee applies to admission-based places of amusement and entertainment. The revenue will be used solely for transportation projects, and is one of the revenue sources for the completion of the Bluffton Parkway from Simmonsville Road to SC 170. 

Topic #2 -- County awards contract for Bluffton Parkway -- Beaufort County Council on Oct. 24 awarded a $22.6 million contract to local contractor Malphrus Construction to complete the Bluffton Parkway from Simmonsville Road to SC 170.  The Malphrus bid was $3.6 million over the county's estimate.  An additional $750,000 from the Town of Bluffton, along with the county's new admissions fee and developer impact fees, will pay for the shortfall. The Town of Bluffton is already providing $3.3 million up front and $740,000 a year for five years, these dollars resulting from negotiations with developers.  The project is slated to begin in November and be completed by January 2007.

Topic #3 -- County Council approves 2% ATAX grants to local organizations -- Beaufort County Council on Oct. 24 approved accommodations tax grants to 31 organizations.  The ATAX dollars are from the state's 2% bed tax.  The organizations are:

  • Society of Bluffton Artists, $3,000
  • Lowcountry Tourism Commission / Visitors Center, $28,000
  • Beaufort Soil and Water Conservation District, $1,500
  • Penn Center, $30,000
  • Keep America Beautiful of Beaufort County, $2,100
  • Bluffton Old Town Merchants Society, $2,500
  • Exchange Club of Beaufort, $3,000
  • Beaufort Performing Arts, $11,100
  • Native Island Business and Community Affairs Assn, $15,000
  • Arts Council of Beaufort County, $20,000
  • Historic Port Royal Foundation, $5,000
  • Beaufort County Open Land Trust, $2,500
  • Lowcountry Estuarium, $11,000
  • Old Village Association of Port Royal, $8,000
  • Beaufort Orchestra, $2,000
  • Daufuskie Sea Island Foundation, $2,500
  • Main Street Beaufort, USA, $25,000
  • Friends of Hunting Island State Park, $15,000
  • Arts Center of Coastal Carolina, $11,100
  • Historic Beaufort Foundation -- Fall Tour of Homes, $5,205
  • Gullah Festival of South Carolina, $20,000
  • Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, $10,000
  • Music at St. Helena Episcopal Church, $1,500
  • Beaufort County Marketing Partnership, $60,000
  • Bluffton Historical Preservation Society (Heyward House), $50,000
  • Coastal Discovery Museum, $12,000
  • Beaufort County Black Chamber of Commerce, $20,000
  • Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce -- Marketing, $27,195
  • Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce -- Visitors Center, $45,000
  • Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce -- $70,000
  • Town of Port Royal/ Kayak Program/Event, $2,800