2017 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 4 - Counties
CHAPTER 10 - LOCAL SALES AND USE TAX
Section 4-10-35. Petition to rescind tax; referendum.

(A) Upon petition of fifteen percent of the qualified electors of a county presented to the governing body of that county which has implemented the one percent sales and use tax authorized by this chapter requesting that this tax be rescinded, the county governing body shall conduct a referendum on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November next following on the question of rescinding the local option sales and use tax within the county area. The state election laws apply to the referendum mutatis mutandis. The county election commission shall publish the results of the referendum and certify them to the county council. The sales and use tax must be rescinded in the county area upon the certification of the results if a majority of the qualified electors voting in the referendum vote in favor of rescinding the tax.

(B) The ballot must read substantially as follows:

"Must the one percent local option sales and use tax levied in __________ County pursuant to Chapter 10, Title 4 of the 1976 Code be rescinded?

Yes []

No []"

(C) A referendum for rescission of this tax may not be held earlier than two years after the tax has been levied in the county. If a majority of the qualified electors voting in the rescission referendum vote against rescinding the tax, no further rescission referendums may be held for a period of two years. If a majority of the qualified electors vote in favor of rescinding the tax, the tax may not be reimposed in the county for a period of two years. The petition requesting rescission must be presented to the county governing body at least one hundred twenty days before the Tuesday following the first Monday of November of that year or the referendum must be held on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November of the following year.

HISTORY: 1990 Act No. 317, Section 1, eff February 2, 1990.

Editor's Note

2006 Act No. 388, Section 3.(A), provides as follows:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county governing body by ordinance or upon petition signed by five percent of the qualified electors of the county submitted to the county governing body with all signatures verified at least sixty days before the 2006 general election shall conduct a referendum at the same time as the 2006 general election as to whether or not a local option sales tax presently imposed in that county should be repealed. If the qualified electors of the county vote in favor of repealing the local option sales tax, the tax shall be repealed as of January 1, 2007."