COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – If you own a car in Lexington County, you may see a new fee on your tax bills. The county is considering a $30 road maintenance fee for all registered vehicles.

In 2022, Lexington County residents voted against a 1% sales tax, or penny tax. Since then, the county has been trying to find ways to fund needed road improvement projects; Their next idea requires residents to pay an additional $30 for vehicle registration.

At the last county council meeting, members discussed the need for additional funding for road improvement projects and said the county needs to do something about it. Officials said there are nearly 300,000 vehicles registered within the county. With an annual fee of $30, the county will make a profit of almost $8 million in one year. The county tells WIS News 10 the money would go to its special general fund road maintenance account.

Some WIS residents spoke out fearing their money would be taken away, but they won’t see any real reparations.

“I don’t see where the money goes, you know, I don’t travel that much, I go out but when I do I don’t see where the money goes,” Barbara Richardson said.

Other WIS News 10 spoke up and wanted ideas like this, saying if the county doesn’t do something to fix the roads, it will only get worse.

Lexington County resident Madison Shelley said she understands why others would be upset, but $30 a year is worth the promised infrastructure repairs.

“If they’re committed to it and they’re going to take it seriously when they impose taxes, I think it’s a good idea,” Shelley said.

Three of the nine councilors voted against the ordinance. It now has two more readings before final approval, and its next reading will be December 10. If the council approves the ordinance, it will go into effect in January 2025.

“Where I live, there are potholes everywhere, and if this is one way to do it, and it’s an extra $30 a year, I mean it’s not going to make a difference,” Shelley said.

Council President Beth Carrigg, who favors the ordinance, said the county has received nearly 130 emails from residents expressing their opinion. For those who have not done so, Lexington County will hold another public hearing on November 12.

“Every year everything increases, and maybe if they kept it to a minimum every year it would be great for some people, but for others it will be difficult,” Richardson said.

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