MAULDIN, S.C (WSPA) – Mauldin voters could soon decide whether to approve a one percent sales tax city leaders say could generate $19.6 million for road resurfacing projects.The proposed tax comes after legislators passed a municipal tax relief act in May, allowing cities to impose a 1% sales tax. Several areas, including Travelers Rest and Simpsonville, are also considering similar measures.However, voters in Mauldin could face paying two separate 1% sales taxes if both the city’s proposal and Greenville County&rsq...
MAULDIN, S.C (WSPA) – Mauldin voters could soon decide whether to approve a one percent sales tax city leaders say could generate $19.6 million for road resurfacing projects.
The proposed tax comes after legislators passed a municipal tax relief act in May, allowing cities to impose a 1% sales tax. Several areas, including Travelers Rest and Simpsonville, are also considering similar measures.
However, voters in Mauldin could face paying two separate 1% sales taxes if both the city’s proposal and Greenville County’s recently approved 1% transportation tax are passed by voters.
Carol King, a Mauldin City Councilmember, explained the municipal tax relief act specifically permits cities to impose such a sales tax, and gave detail for how the revenue would be used for future projects.
“Revenue would be used for specific projects. So the city of Mauldin, currently we have designated the revenue to go toward our roads, which would be infrastructure-related and paving street projects. And we currently have $4 million designated for a new fire station,” King said.
However, not all residents are in favor of paying more in taxes. Richard Bouchard, a Mauldin homeowner who has lived in the city for almost 40 years, voiced his opposition.
“A no for me as a homeowner,” Bouchard said. “I think just like me with a budget, I believe they can find the money somewhere else,” Bouchard said.
Despite opposition, Councilmember King explained it was important to allow voters to choose. “When you look at 2024, when it was last time that the county voted on the penny tax, if you look at the city of Mauldin and the precincts in the city of Mauldin, the majority of voters in the city of Mauldin voted in favor of the penny tax,” King said.
The city still needs to take a final vote on the referendum for approval, which is scheduled for August 3. If the referendum passes City Council approval, it will then be submitted to the Greenville County Voter Registration and Election Board for inclusion on the November ballot. If approved, the 1% sales tax would go into effect in May 2027.