CPST will improve Newberry County again, vote yes

When the Capital Project Sales Tax passed in Newberry for the first time in 1998, Newberry was only the second county in South Carolina to adopt CPST. Since then, the CPST penny sales tax has passed three additional times in Newberry County and a total of $68 million of improvements have been made across the county. In South Carolina, a total of 24 counties now have CPST including, in recent years, our neighbors in Greenwood, Laurens and Saluda counties. In marketing efforts of CPST in those counties, CPST improvements in Newberry County were cited as evidence CPST works.

On the general election ballot on November 8 — with early voting starting October 24 — is the renewal of the penny tax in Newberry County. Just as there have been outstanding projects over the years like a new Piedmont Tech, first responder resources and quality of life initiatives, the 2022 ballot contains 12 good projects across the county with a broad range, from emergency facilities, to infrastructure, to park improvements.

Two of my favorites are a new amphitheater in downtown Newberry and improvements to the Newberry Recreation Complex.

Amphitheaters are being added in many communities, bringing people together of all ages for entertainment, recreation and interaction. The downtown amphitheater would be located diagonally behind the post office, on the sloping, grass field between Nance and Caldwell Streets. Concerts, community celebrations, and school functions would be some of the programs at the amphitheater. A trial concert held in 2021 at the proposed spot received much praise.

At the Newberry Recreation Complex, improvements will include enlarging the popular Gully Washer Splash Park and adding a Miracle Field, paved walking trails and a skateboard park. Miracle Fields are rubberized baseball fields for children and adults with disabilities and special needs, and nearby cities with Miracle Fields include Union, Greenwood and Fountain Inn. The surface accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices, allowing all to experience the joy of baseball and team sports. Watching a Miracle League game in Union, it was moving to see the excitement and happiness the players had.

An important CPST project is a new, badly needed facility for the Friendly Fire Department. New trucks won’t fit in their outdated station beside the Hampton Inn, and the proposed new facility at the fairgrounds will shorten their response times in their territory, which is outside of the city limits.

Other CPST initiatives include park projects in Little Mountain and Prosperity, a renovated gym in Whitmire, renovations of the old Gallman School, which is dear to many Gallman High graduates in Newberry County, and other projects.

A friend, who is a true fiscal conservative, told me he supports CPST each time because he can see the results. The 2022 CPST will improve Newberry County again and will have long-term, positive consequences. I encourage you to vote “Yes” in the upcoming election.