Dorchester School District Two's Board of Trustees meets Monday, Nov. 9, in Summerville for its first session since voters approved a one-cent education sales tax.
The board will gather at the district's administrative offices, 815 S. Main St., according to a district notice. A Board Policy Committee meeting begins at 5 p.m., followed by the full board meeting at 6 p.m. Both sessions will be livestreamed on YouTube.
The district said meeting agendas will be available through its Simbli portal.
Sales tax looms large
Dorchester County voters approved the one-cent education sales tax on Nov. 3 with about 60% support, ABC News 4 reported. Unofficial results showed 31,643 voters backed the referendum and 21,128 voted against it.
The tax is expected to take effect April 1, 2027, and remain in place for up to 15 years. It is projected to generate approximately $692 million over that span, according to estimates from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office cited by ABC News 4.
DD2 will receive 85% of the revenue. Dorchester School District Four will get the remaining 15%. Within each district's share, 90% will fund capital improvement projects and 10% will go toward reducing existing school bond debt and providing property tax relief, ABC News 4 reported.
DD2 plans to use the money for new schools, renovations, expansions and improvements to existing facilities, according to the Post and Courier. The Post and Courier reported the district plans to build a new school around Highway 61 and Delemar Highway and pay for renovations at high schools and middle schools.
The referendum results remain unofficial until certified.
New board members elected
The Nov. 3 election also reshaped the DD2 board itself. In District 4, covering parts of Summerville and Ladson, Meredith Westfall defeated incumbent Evan Guthrie with 55% of the vote, the Post and Courier reported.
Two other seats were uncontested. Bethanny King secured the District 2 seat covering southwest Summerville with 98% of the vote. Ashley Wimberly, an incumbent in District 6 in downtown Summerville, also won with 98%.
Those results are also unofficial, pending county certification by Nov. 6 and state certification by Nov. 13, according to the South Carolina Policy Council. The DD2 board includes representatives from seven single-member districts.
Monday's meeting is the board's first chance to publicly discuss how the newly approved sales tax revenue will shape district facilities planning. Families can watch the policy committee session and the full board meeting live on YouTube.
