Grand Strand, Pee Dee to see nearly $90M in state aid with start of new fiscal year

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — Millions of dollars in state aid is headed to the Grand Strand and Pee Dee that will help pay for new police gear, improve college campuses and upgrade aging infrastructure systems.

The state’s $40 billion budget, which went into affect on July 1, directs more than $86 million into the region through various line items and programs.

Gov. Henry McMaster and state lawmakers had a $1.64 billion revenue windfall to work with this year, allowing many local needs to be addressed.

In the Grand Strand, that includes:

• $10 million to Myrtle Beach for downtown revitalization and technology hub enhancements
• $8 million to Horry County for public safety upgrades and the Augusta Plantation interchange at S.C. Highway 31
• $3.7 million to Coastal Carolina University to offset tuition and fee increases for in-state students
• $2 million to Conway for the Kingston Ferry and Trail project
• $2 million to the Grand Strand Humane Society
• $1.5 million to North Myrtle Beach for Cherry Grove dredging
• $1 million to Loris for removal and remediation of its old Main Street high school

In the Pee Dee, that includes:

• $16 million to Florence-Darlington Technical College to assist with renovations of its Darlington campus and industrial trades trading facility
• $5.1 million to Francis Marion University to offset tuition and fee increases for in-state students and upgrades to the Leatherman Science Facility/McNair Science Building
• $5 million to Florence city and county for the Freedom Boulevard water line extension, Carolina Theatre renovations and a new fire engine
• $2.5 million to Marion County for detention center improvements
• $1.5 million to Dillon County for upgrades to its emergency services facility

Last week, McMaster issued 21 vetoes, cutting $2.3 million out of South Carolina’s spending plan. Lawmakers included 292 proposals from his executive budget into the final version.

These proposals included an income tax cut, teacher and law enforcement pay raises, a college tuition freeze, and key investments in our state’s bridges and workforce development through SC Nexus and South Carolina Workforce Industry Needs Scholarships.

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Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12 . See more of his work here .

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