Municipal Sales Tax Referendum

At a glance

• What: Ordinance under the Municipal Tax Relief Act (Title 5, Chapter 41, S.C. Code) imposing a one percent sales and use tax to give property tax relief to owner-occupied homes and to fund 521 infrastructure and public safety projects, subject to voter approval.
• Where it stands: Council passed second and final reading unanimously on August 10, 2026. The ballot question goes to voters at the November 3 General Election.
• Next: Referendum on November 3, 2026.

What Council approved (August 10, 2026)

• Councilmember Gibson moved and Councilmember Brasington seconded second and final reading of the revised ordinance (item 14a). It passed unanimously, all seven members present.
• City Manager Lavrin said staff had worked for months to identify 521 projects and the proposed allocations, thanked the Legislative Delegation, and said this ordinance and similar efforts across Greenville County are the first of their kind.
• Councilmember Dowe summarized the staff revisions: 521 projects on the list at an estimated cost of $410,145,000. She thanked Senator Elliot, Senator Turner and Representative Bannister for supporting the Municipal Tax Relief Act in the General Assembly.
• Councilmember DeWorken urged residents to review the project list, saying every city neighborhood is included. Councilmember Flemming noted that streets not repaired in 40 years are on the list.
• Councilmember Gibson said many projects would not be feasible for decades under current budgets, and that the revenue would add about $50 million a year to the budget for the projects, calling it a game changer for quality of life.
• Mayor White said the City has advocated a municipal sales tax for infrastructure and safety since 2003 and that the required property tax relief would benefit city residents.
• Councilmember Belge said the City's ordinance and the County's ordinance are mutually beneficial, and thanked staff for revising the project list.

Public comment

• Dennison LaRue, President of the Green Avenue Neighborhood Association, spoke in support of the item and of the proposed improvements to Dunbar Street, saying he hopes the project does not remain dormant.

Sources

• City Council formal meeting minutes, August 10, 2026: https://greenvillesc.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=5122,plainText=false)

Log

2026-08-10 - City Council Formal Meeting

Second and final reading passed unanimously (moved by Councilmember Gibson, seconded by Councilmember Brasington). 521 projects, about $410,145,000 estimated cost; ballot question for the November 3 General Election.

2026-11-09 - City Council Formal Meeting

• 2026-11-12 - A resolution declaring the results of the November 3, 2026 referendum was on the agenda; results not yet posted on the agenda.
• 2026-11-12 - Transcript update: Resolution declaring the results moved; the mayor noted a margin of roughly 10,000 votes. The City Manager said collection begins May 1, first state remittances come July or August in quarterly installments, no new debt will be taken, a twelve-month plan comes to the February retreat, and 70 percent of tier one projects must be spent before tier two.