South Carolina Cities Gain Authority to Place Penny Sales Tax on Ballots

Greenville Spartanburg Asheville Anderson, SC, September 10, 2026 —

Four municipalities within Greenville County, South Carolina, have gained new authority to propose a penny sales tax to voters. The cities of Greenville, Simpsonville, Mauldin, and Travelers Rest are now empowered to place a 1% local sales tax referendum on the ballot, a legislative power that was previously exclusive to counties. This significant shift in municipal fiscal authority is a direct outcome of the recently passed Municipal Tax Relief Act.

The passage of the Municipal Tax Relief Act marks the culmination of an initiative that leaders in Greenville have pursued for nearly two decades. The legislation is designed to provide eligible cities with a new avenue for revenue generation and to offer potential relief to homeowners.

Under the provisions of the new law, cities that meet the eligibility criteria can enact an additional local sales tax of 1% for a duration of eight years. A key component of the revenue generated by this tax is earmarked for property tax relief specifically for homeowners residing within the city limits. The specifics regarding the distribution of revenue and the exact mechanisms for property tax relief will be detailed in any proposed ballot measures.

The trend summary indicates that this change grants previously unavailable fiscal tools to these specific municipalities. Information regarding the exact timing of when these cities might propose such a tax or any further legislative steps required before a ballot measure can be finalized was not provided in the summary. Similarly, details on the proposed allocation percentages for property tax relief or other potential uses of the revenue were not specified.

Story summarized from the original created by Megan Fitzgerald on greenvillejournal.com, see more information here.

Media gallery