Does unprepared food or prescriptions get taxed? No
Does gas get taxed? No
How long would tax last? 8 years, then it goes away
How much money would it raise? According to estimates from the SC Department of Revenue, this tax would raise an estimated average of $131 million per year. Over 30% of the funds would be paid by visitors.
Will all money be used on only roads and bridges? Yes, County Council has limited it to roads and bridges only, in accordance with state law.
What roads are eligible? State, County, and municipalities. Interstates will not receive any funding from this tax.
How were the Commissioners selected? The selection of commissioners is defined by state law. County Council selected 3 commissioners, from over 20 citizens that applied. The city of Greenville appointed one commissioner, who then appointed the two additional commissioners from other municipalities within the county.
Do any other Counties on South Carolina have a similar tax? Yes. Greenville County is the largest in the state without one. Many counties have had them for several years, the longest is York County at 27 years. Charleston, York, Horry, Beaufort and York are voting on a renewal of or addition to their tax in the upcoming November election.
When is election day/the day I’d vote on this issue? November 5th, 2024.
If passed, when would collections begin? Collections would begin on May 1, 2025.
How were the projects selected? Engineers and planners from the county, SCDOT and the municipalities compiled a list of high priority projects based on previously collected data. Public meetings were also held to solicit input from citizens.
Can projects be added to the list after it’s voted on? By law, the list cannot be changed once approved by Council. Due to the impracticality of listing every project on the actual ballot, a sampling of projects was chosen for the ballot question. The total overall dollar amount, number of projects and types of project are listed, which is similar to what has been done by other counties who have approved a similar tax.