Dreams of a downtown parking garage could come true for Beaufort officials with the help of a bill before the S.C. Senate.

State Sen. Scott Richardson, R-Hilton Head Island, is optimistic his amendment to a law allowing a 1 percent sales tax for capital improvement projects will meet with the approval of his fellow legislators.

"What it does, basically, is amend the list of items included in the local option sales tax to allow for a parking garage, beach access and beach renourishment," Richardson said Monday. He expects little opposition to the bill, which is very localized. Coastal communities face erosion problems, he said, and also growth problems leading to the need for facilities like parking garages.

Right now, projects ranging from coliseums to civic centers and bridges are allowed under the tax act, but parking garages are excluded.

Richardson acknowledged the timely introduction of his bill, which he hopes will become law by the end of the month. The Beaufort County Council is now working on a 1 percent sales tax referendum, which voters will be asked to approve in November.

If passed, the temporary sales tax increase would be used to pay for a list of specific capital projects selected by county and municipal officials.

Beaufort Mayor Bill Rauch has long supported the idea of a parking garage for downtown. He said Monday a sales tax committee being formed by the County Council may consider the garage for inclusion on the list of projects to be funded.

The committee, he said, "certainly wouldn't entertain the idea until the law is changed."

Beaufort City Councilman Billy Keyserling opposes using the local option sales tax to pay for a parking garage, although he said a garage is a "foregone conclusion" and will be necessary downtown.

Instead, he said he'd like to see officials enact a 1 percent sales tax option requiring 70 percent of the dollars collected be used to offset property taxes. The other 30 percent could be used for a wide range of capital projects chosen by county or local municipalities, Keyserling said.

"I'm saying, if they've got a commission, and they're looking at options, they ought to look at providing tax relief too."