Council Approves Penny Sales Tax for Greenville County Ballots

Council Gives Final Vote, Penny Sales Tax to Feature on Greenville Ballots in November

GREENVILLE, S.C.– For the first time in ten years, residents of Greenville County, South Carolina will encounter a penny sales tax referendum on their November ballots. The penny sales tax has been a subject of contention among Greenville County council members for months, eventually leading to a decisive final vote of 8 to 4 during a special meeting on Tuesday.

All council members, including Blount, Shaw, Bradley, and Tzouvelekas, participated in the critical vote. The council members who opposed the tax presented their reasons, advocating for residents to do their research before making a choice. Council Vice-Chair Liz Seman encouraged residents to visit the county’s website for comprehensive information regarding the pending tax.

It is worth noting that Greenville is among the rare counties in South Carolina that hasn’t implemented a penny sales tax before. During the last attempt in 2014, the council failed to gain approval for a sales tax referendum from voters. The proposed penny sales tax aims to generate $1 billion over eight years, funds earmarked for road repairs within the county.

The Controversy Surrounding the Penny Sales Tax

While the county is legally prohibited from campaigning in favor of the tax, opposition members on the council, including Councilman Steve Shaw, have pledged to dissuade voters. Shaw claims that some funding allocations on the project list may not accurately reflect the potential cost of these projects.

“The answer can’t be to just keep taxing people, get the money and then figure out what to do with it and that’s what we’re doing here. We don’t even know what these projects are. We don’t have real estimates for these. We just have allocations,” remarked Shaw in reference to the pending tax.

However, proponents of the tax argue that without it, the county’s roads will continue to deteriorate. “What we’ve been able to do just with the budget and just with our road maintenance fee has really been just minimal and the need is so much greater,” stated Seman.

Future of Penny Sales Tax

If approved, the penny sales tax wouldn’t take effect until next spring. Despite this, the council reportedly plans on issuing a bond that will allow commencement of projects shortly after voter approval.

As the November-born decision approaches, Greenville County residents are encouraged to carry out proper research, consider all the projected impacts, and most importantly, make their voices heard through their ballots.