Mayor Amidon previews homeowners tax-relief referendum, schedules Aug. 6 workshop

“I'm mayor Brandy Amidon, and this is your 62nd mayor update for the month of July,” Amidon said, opening the municipal update to residents.

The city held a first reading of a Travelers Rest homeowners tax-relief and critical-projects sales tax referendum that would allow a reduction in property taxes for homeowners paired with a dedicated sales tax to fund what the city described as critical projects. Amidon said state legislators recently gave cities the authority to pursue this exchange; Travelers Rest officials are exploring directing revenue to parks, sidewalks and connectivity projects.

In a brief explanation of next steps, Amidon said the city will hold a workshop for residents on Thursday, Aug. 6, to explain the proposal and outreach plans and that staff will send out more information. “We will have a workshop for city residents on August 6 on a Thursday, and we'll be sending out more information for that,” she said.

Amidon also noted other items covered in the July update: a presentation by local intern Jessica Priestley on economic development and community development, and a recent SAFE designation intended to support training for the police department and staff around supporting assault victims. No final vote on the referendum was reported in the update; the first reading was presented to residents as an initial procedural step.

The mayor closed the update by thanking listeners and wishing them a good month. The city has not yet released detailed text of the referendum, the sales tax rate being considered, or a timeline for a final vote; those details are expected to be discussed at the Aug. 6 workshop.