The county could get between $13.5 and $14 million to spend on capital projects if a penny sales tax vote were to pass in November 2010.

County Bond Attorney Theo Dubose told council they could expect to collect around $15.8 million from a new penny tax. With a bond interest rate of between 3.8 and 5 percent, that could translate into more than $13 million for projects.

However, there will be some new rules to the penny tax.

If a new penny tax is passed, due to new state law, the tax will not be placed on unprepared food as it is now. This will mean a 12 to 15 percent loss in revenue for the county.

Also, county officials asked Rep. Walt McLeod to put in an amendment to allow capital projects penny tax collections to be used to build new technical college buildings. Previously, educational facilities have been exempt from the project list. The bill went into law Wednesday.

This amendment would allow the county to put building a new Piedmont Tech center on the referendum projects list.

Other projects allowed include: county buildings, cultural centers, flood control projects, infrastructure projects, jointly operated capital projects by counties, municipalities, school districts or special purpose districts.

The plan for the tax is for County Council to nominate three people to the penny tax commission in September.

Two people from the City of Newberry would be appointed and they would appoint a sixth person from another municipality in the county.

Proposals would be due from agencies in April 1, 2010.

The commission would approve projects and forward the list to County Council by June 15.

First reading by County Council would take place on July 7, 2010 and third reading on Aug. 4, 2010.

The public would vote on the penny tax on Nov. 2, 2010.

Council Chairman Henry “Buddy“ Livingston said the advance timeline will allow agencies to start planning and have good estimates for the projects so there are not as many overruns as in the current penny sales tax project list that was hastily put together.

“We don’t want that to happen again,“ said Councilman Bill Waldrop. “If this passes people will be able to save on their property tax bills.“

“This will not just be pennies from Newberry County residents, but all who come through and buy.“

“This is the only fair tax,’ said Councilman Kirksey Koon.

But Councilman Les Hipp warned council they would have to be “very smart in how we do this.“

The current penny tax will finish collecting for its $15.8 million in projects around the end of 2010.