The money would go to port improvements.

SC Treasurer Curtis Loftis’s office projected the total taxpayer cost at $878 million over 20 years, including $328 million in interest.

Because lawmakers had little or no notice of the taxpayer-backed plan, Republican Sen. Sandy Senn wants more accountability.

Senn has proposed the Ports Authority board make Commerce secretary Bobby Hitt and DOT secretary Christy Hall voting members. This will allow them to attend closed board sessions.

A joint resolution by longtime Senate Finance Committee chairman Hugh Leatherman, R-Florence, would approve selling up to $550 million in bonds to be repaid by state taxpayers with interest.

Senn said making Hitt and Hall voting members will let top state officials know what’s going on to warn lawmakers.

“This (bond proposal) probably won’t go over well,” she said.

Other senators said Hitt “definitely knows what’s going on, and he knew that $550 million request was coming.”

The planned projects include:

• A rail yard near a terminal named for Leatherman.

• A new barge system connected to the terminal.

A new road has been opened to give truck drivers a direct connection between the terminal and I-26.

Senn’s resolution requires part of shipping container fees to reimburse the state $150 million on the loan’s principal.

The Commerce Department often discusses taxpayer-backed projects in secret.

More than 200 Ports Authority employees were paid at least $100,000 last year.

Port CEO Jim Newsome was paid $546,236, according to records obtained under the state open-records law.

Top managers at Palmetto Railways – heavily involved with the proposed rail yard – are well paid but their salaries and other financial records aren’t readily available to the public.

Brundrett is the news editor of The Nerve (www.thenerve.org). Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org.