Simpsonville advances referendum plan pairing road investment with homeowner tax relief
Simpsonville City Council advanced a proposed sales-tax and infrastructure referendum that would direct millions of dollars toward city streets while providing tax credits to homeowners.
The council approved the ordinance on first reading, moving the proposal toward a July 14 business meeting. The plan would combine approximately $43.3 million for projects with $10.8 million in homeowner tax credits, according to the public account of the proposal.
The referendum has not been approved by voters. The final ballot language, election date and final project list have not been identified.
Road work would cover 40 miles
The infrastructure portion is described as approximately $48 million for resurfacing and improvements on 40 miles of Simpsonville streets. The work would include more than pavement resurfacing, with drainage, curb-and-gutter and sidewalk improvements also included in the plan.
The city’s road-condition assessment cited 59 of 89 miles of city streets as being in fair or poor condition. That assessment forms the central case for considering a large-scale investment in the local road network.
The reported figures use both an approximately $43.3 million project allocation and an approximately $48 million infrastructure figure. The relationship between those amounts will need to be clarified in final budget documents.
Tax credit would offset part of homeowner cost
The proposed homeowner tax credit was described as equivalent to 9.9 mills. A median homeowner could receive about $160 annually under that estimate.
That figure is an estimate for a median homeowner, not a guaranteed reduction for every property owner. The value of an individual credit would depend on the applicable property-tax calculation.
The proposal is intended to pair road spending with tax relief for homeowners, potentially offsetting part of the cost associated with the plan while the city addresses street conditions.
Questions remain as the plan advances
The public account raised concerns about contractor availability and accountability for spending. Those issues could affect how quickly the city carries out the work and how officials track the use of referendum revenue.
Simpsonville’s meeting archive lists a July 14, 2026 City Council business meeting and a July 28 committee meeting. The archive establishes those municipal meetings, but it does not establish a final election date or confirm which future meeting will decide the referendum’s remaining details.
For now, the council action is an advancement of a proposal, not final voter approval. The practical outcome for homeowners, drivers and city taxpayers will depend on the final terms and whether voters authorize the plan.
Sources
- Simpsonville Council Advances Referendum for Sales Tax and Infrastructure Plan, GatherGov
- City Meetings Archive, City of Simpsonville
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