COLUMBIA (WACH) - With a little more than a week until the November election, penny tax talk in Richland County is heating up even more.

Those who oppose the penny proposal came together Monday to make a case against the tax that's slated to pay for transportation improvements and the struggling public bus system.

Opponents say there are other ways to fund improvements.

"It doesn't make any sense for us to pay an additional tax when they have many other methods and multiple pools of money that I'm aware of to support the buses," said Paul Brawley, Richland County auditor.

Supporters pitch the tax as a vote for more jobs, safer roads and local control.

Voters narrowly shot down a similar plan to help fund the bus system and road projects back in 2010.

If approved, the penny sales tax would run over a 20 year period and would go into effect in May of 2013.