Greenville County voters will be voting on whether to impose a countywide capital projects local option sales tax to address an estimated $3 billion backlog in road repairs and maintenance.
The question will appear as a referendum on November’s general election ballot and present voters with a “yes” or “no” choice on whether to impose the tax.
The ballot question
The referendum question that will appear on the ballot was developed earlier this year by the Greenville County Capital Projects Sales Tax Commission, which was created by County Council under guidelines spelled out in South Carolina law governing local option sales taxes.
Much of the wording is mandated by that section of state law, and County Council approved the commission’s recommended wording in early August.
The measure, if approved, would provide funding for more than 1,500 road and bridge repair and maintenance projects throughout the county. The commission opted not to include all 1,500-plus projects on the ballot as it deemed that would make the question too lengthy and time-consuming for voters to assess on election day.
Instead, the ballot question will list representative projects for each of the four uses the tax would fund.
Read our 2024 election guide
This is the full wording that will appear on the ballot:
Referendum wording
“Must a special one percent sales and use tax be imposed in Greenville County for not more than 8 years to raise the amounts specified for the following purposes?”
Purpose: road improvement, repaving and reconstruction projects
“$473,919,000 for one thousand four hundred and forty-five (1,445) road improvement, repaving and reconstruction projects, including:”
- Adams Mill Road
- Crescent Avenue
- Devenger Road
- Five Forks Road
- Geer Highway
- McElhaney Road
- Old Highway 25
- Piedmont Highway
- Talley Bridge Road
- Wembley Road
Purpose: intersection improvement projects
$216,100,000 for fifty-one (51) intersection improvement projects, including:”
- Arlington Avenue and North Line Street
- Bethel Road, Bridges Road and Tanner Road
- Brushy Creek Road and Hammett Road
- East Mountain Creek Road and Mountain Creek Church Road
- Edwards Road and Howell Road
- Fork Shoals Road and SC 418
- Milford Church Road and SC 101
- Tigerville Road and US 25
- Woodruff Road, East Georgia Road and Anderson Ridge Road
Purpose: roadway safety and congestion relief projects
“$313,200,000 for thirty-one (31) roadway safety and congestion relief projects, including:”
- Fairview Road from Harrison Bridge Road to Grandview Drive
- Haywood Road and I-385 interchange
- North and South Pleasantburg Drive from State Park Road to Augusta Road
- Wade Hampton Boulevard from West Stone Avenue to North Pleasantburg Drive
Purpose: bridge and road-related drainage projects
“$43,613,000 for thirty-seven (37) bridge and road-related drainage projects, including:”
- Bridge replacements on Anderson Ridge Road, Balfer Drive, East Dorchester Boulevard, Hilly Street, McMahan Road, Pine Forest Road, Queen Street, Scarlett Street and Ranch Road.
- Road drainage improvements in Belle Meade, Berea Forest and Cherokee Forest subdivisions.
What happens next
If voters approve the capital projects sales tax referendum, state law requires County Council to adopt a resolution affirming the referendum results. Council already approved the necessary ordinance to impose the sales tax, but it can only take effect with voter approval.
If the tax is approved, it would take effect May 1, 2025.
The new sales tax would not apply to groceries, prescription medicines or gasoline. Over the eight years it would be imposed, the tax is expected to generate about $1 billion in revenue, with roughly one-third of that generated by visitors.
