Greenville advances 1% municipal sales-tax ordinance to fund neighborhood infrastructure and property-tax relief

Greenville City Council advanced ordinance 15d, described in the meeting as enacted pursuant to the Municipal Tax Relief Act (cited in the transcript as "title 5, chapter 41 ..."), authorizing a 1% sales-and-use tax to finance neighborhood infrastructure projects and provide property-tax relief through a referendum.

Mayor Knox White framed the measure as the product of nearly a decade of work with state legislators and local leaders, saying it offers a way for cities to address neighborhood infrastructure and public-safety priorities at a scale not possible with current tax revenues. "We started this effort really almost 10 years ago..." the mayor said, describing the proposal as transformative and complementary to county efforts.

Council members stressed the need for transparent neighborhood outreach and clearer project descriptions prior to second reading. John Slitke, representing the Haney Serene Neighborhood Association, said he supported the ordinance but requested more information on how projects were prioritized and how progress would be communicated.

Council announced a project-preview meeting for July 28 at the Civic Design Center on Main Street for residents to review specifics and ask staff questions. Several council members said they support both the municipal option and a county option and stressed the importance of communicating how the two efforts would complement each other.

The ordinance advanced on roll call during the meeting. Council and staff said the proposed project list is a living document and that additional neighborhood input would be incorporated through the second-reading process and outreach events.