Marion County staff flags decision window for capital sales tax referendum

Marion County officials told the County Council that the county’s current capital sales tax project will end in April and the council needs to decide whether to seek voter approval for a new program.

Deputy Administrator Williams told the council the county could place a referendum on the ballot during the 2026 general election — described in the meeting as “a year early” — or wait until the November 2027 general election. Williams said project lists and related materials typically must be submitted roughly 60 days before an election date.

Williams also described how the county has previously formed a citizens’ commission to oversee projects: three appointees from the county, one appointee each from the City of Mullins and one other city named in the meeting transcript, and a shared appointee from two towns (creating a six-member commission in the prior process). He presented the timeline and commission structure as informational and asked council members to begin discussing whether to place a referendum before the council takes formal action.

No formal motion to place a referendum was made during the meeting. Williams said the staff can begin preparing project lists and logistics if the council starts the process, but he did not present a formal project list or a staff recommendation on timing.

Why it matters: A new capital sales tax would fund county capital projects chosen by voters and by the commission the county appoints. The council’s choice of election year affects project scoping, public outreach and the schedule for submitting required election materials.