Story Published:
Aug 26, 2008 at 4:03 PM EST
Story Updated:
Aug 26, 2008 at 7:24 PM EST
Graniteville, Warrenville, and Vaucluse vote to decide future.
It was one of the largest rail disasters in U.S. history. Two trains collided in Graniteville in 2005. Tons of toxic gas leaked and nine people died. Three years later, some say the little community of Graniteville hasn't recovered, because it isn't a big city.
"Money was appropriated for Graniteville disaster relief, we didn't have a local government that could except those funds so it had to be handed to the county," said Phil Napier, Chief of the GVW Volunteer Fire Department.
He says his community is missing out on a lot more.
"The grass has grown, the town is looking worse, the roads are not getting in any better shape," said Napier.
He says voting to consolidate Graniteville, Vaucluse, and Warrenville into one city will make the streets safer by creating the finances to hire law enforcement to patrol through the community.
But on election day not every voter was willing to pay.
"My taxes will be up and I don't know all that's involved with what's going on here. Who will be elected," said one voter.
A spokeswoman from the GVW Study Group says people in the new city would pay a .005 mill rate. That is about $20 for the average $100,000 home.
While Napier says Graniteville didn't see any of the money allocated for disaster relief, state lawmaker Roland Smith disagrees.
He says some of that money went directly to DHEC to give people in Graniteville health screenings. Election officials say they'll be done tabulating the votes by about 8 p.m. Tuesday.
NBC Augusta spoke with Aiken County's tax assessor's office.
A spokesman says if they consolidate, the proposed mill rate would be the lowest in the county.
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