Early voting is currently underway in the City of Greenwood. Voters will head to the polls on election day, Tuesday, December 10, to decide on an extension of a current tax, providing traffic relief inside the city.
Voters will see two questions on their ballot. First, whether to give the city permission to retire a 2014 bond, which is already in place. Second, whether to extend the quarter-percent sales and use tax from the 2014 bond. The approval would provide the necessary funding for the proposed traffic relief project without a tax increase.
If passed, the traffic relief plan would occur in two phases. In phase one, approximately one mile of highway will be constructed from the intersection of Highway 10 and Coker Street to the intersection of Highway 10 and Highway 96. Then, in phase two, two miles of Highway 10 would be widened.
In a town hall meeting on November 19, Mayor Doug Kinslow stated that this will not only provide traffic relief, but will also address safety issues and impact future economic development.
“This has been an issue for at least 30 years,” stated Kinslow. “I’ve lived here all my life…Every mayor that has been here has done their best to work and find a way to fix it.”
The project is expected to cost around $33 milion. Kinslow has worked diligently to find ways to fund the project without raising taxes, and is optimistic about putting the proposal to the voters in this special election.
