Greenville County voters reject one percent sales tax increase

GREENVILLE, S.C. – By a margin of nearly 2-to-1, Greenville County voters overwhelmingly rejected a one percent sales tax increase for road improvements at the polls Tuesday.

Upstate city governments approved resolutions and area chambers threw support behind the sales tax, but the well-funded public relations campaign wasn’t enough to persuade voters this was the best plan to improve the county’s roads.

More than $673 million was expected to be raised through the tax that was capped to last eight years or less. A citizens committee conducted community meetings to set up a list of transportation projects.

Perhaps any support for the sales tax began to fizzle when reports surfaced that groceries would have been subject to the tax. Opposing sides also disagreed whether County Council could spend the sales tax anyway it wanted.

The sales tax plan failed 63 percent to 37 percent.