Greenville County Penny Tax Fails as Four Cities Pass Theirs

Greenville County voters rejected a penny tax for roads again on Nov. 3, while four cities passed their own. What it means for buyers, owners and land sellers.

The Greenville County penny tax failed on November 3, 2026, the second time in two years that county voters turned it down. The same night, voters in the City of Greenville, Mauldin, Simpsonville and Travelers Rest approved one-cent taxes of their own, The Post and Courier reported. If you are buying a home, holding a rental or selling land in the county, the split result changes which roads get new money and which homeowners see a property tax credit. Start with homes available now in Greenville and Spartanburg to see where the vote touches you.

What happened with the Greenville County penny tax

The county asked voters for a 1% sales and use tax to fund more than $1 billion in road repairs. The Post and Courier said the plan sent 90% to road construction, 7% to land preservation and 3% to public transportation. The tax would have ended after eight years.

The county ballot carried two questions. Both failed, according to results published by the Greenville Journal on November 4:

Question 1: 101,947 yes and 108,280 no, about 51.5% against.
Question 2: 103,938 yes and 104,394 no, a margin of 456 votes.

The Post and Courier said the margin was larger than in 2024, when the county's first attempt failed. County officials now have to go back to the drawing board on a road repair deficit the paper put at $2 billion.

The four city penny taxes that passed

A state law, the Municipal Sales Tax Relief Act, let cities propose their own penny taxes for the first time. All four that tried in Greenville County won. Vote counts are from the Greenville Journal; revenue estimates and project lists are from The Post and Courier.

City of Greenville: 19,070 to 9,549, about 66.6% yes. An estimated $500 million for more than 500 infrastructure projects, including drainage fixes and a new fire station.
Simpsonville: 5,189 to 5,042, about 50.7% yes. An estimated $55.5 million for repaving roads and building sidewalks.
Mauldin: 6,397 to 5,410, about 54.2% yes. An estimated $24.5 million, mostly for street projects and a new fire station.
Travelers Rest: 1,582 to 1,203, about 56.8% yes. An estimated $19.8 million for a splash pad, a skatepark, new sidewalks and road upgrades.

Two rules apply to all four. The cities must use 20% of the money for homeowner property tax credits. Each tax ends after eight years, and voters can then decide whether to approve it again.

What the vote means for buyers, owners and land sellers

Homebuyers inside the four cities

A share of the new city revenue comes back to homeowners as a property tax credit. The Post and Courier did not say how each city will calculate the credit or how you qualify, so ask the city before you count it in a budget. That credit is separate from South Carolina's 4% assessment ratio for a legal residence, which our guide to the South Carolina 4% property tax rate explains.

Rental owners

The paper tied the credits to homeowners. A rental home is assessed at 6% of fair market value under Section 12-43-220, while the 4% ratio requires that the home be the owner's domicile. Whether a city credit reaches a rental was not reported. Until the city says so, leave it out of your rental numbers.

Buyers in unincorporated Greenville County

No new county sales tax money is coming for roads from this vote. The county's road needs remain on its existing funding while officials rework the plan. If a daily drive matters to you, look at the roads you will use today, not the ones on a failed project list.

Land sellers

The 7% land preservation share failed with the county tax, so that source of preservation money is off the table for now. Road conditions near a tract still count. When a builder has to pay for road work to reach a site, that cost comes out of what the land is worth to the builder. Our explainer on how builders value land walks through the residual method.

How Red Cedar Homes is reading it

A vote like this changes the street in front of a lot, said Bryan De Bruin, Owner and CEO of Red Cedar Homes, and that is part of knowing a market.

"We build infill in markets we know lot by lot. Drainage, sidewalks and repaving decide how a street works. We read a city's project list the same way we read a survey." Bryan De Bruin, Owner and CEO, Red Cedar Homes

"Buyers should know what they are paying and what is in it. We give a stated price, with options priced before contract. Taxes and road plans are public. Read both before you sign." Bryan De Bruin, Owner and CEO, Red Cedar Homes

"If you own land in Greenville County, the road in front of it is part of its value. Send us the parcel, and we will tell you plainly how we see it." Bryan De Bruin, Owner and CEO, Red Cedar Homes

Frequently asked questions

Did the Greenville County penny tax pass in 2026?

No. Both county questions failed on November 3, 2026. Question 1 lost 108,280 to 101,947, about 51.5% against, and Question 2 lost by 456 votes. It was the second county rejection in two years. The plan would have funded more than $1 billion in road repairs over eight years.

Which Greenville County cities passed a penny tax?

The City of Greenville, Mauldin, Simpsonville and Travelers Rest all passed one-cent taxes on November 3. Greenville's passed with about 66.6% of the vote and Simpsonville's with about 50.7%. Each city tax lasts eight years, and each city must use 20% of the revenue for homeowner property tax credits.

What will the City of Greenville penny tax pay for?

The Post and Courier reported an estimated $500 million for more than 500 infrastructure projects. Drainage fixes and a new fire station are among them. The tax ends after eight years unless voters approve it again. Check the city's project list for the streets near a home or lot you are weighing.

Will the city penny tax lower my property taxes?

Possibly, if you are a homeowner in one of the four cities. The cities must put 20% of the revenue toward homeowner property tax credits. The reporting did not say how the credits will be calculated or who qualifies, so confirm the details with your city before you rely on a number.

Find a home or submit land in Greenville County

Compare available homes with a stated price across our Upstate communities, or, if you own a parcel, submit your property and we will review it.

Sources

Figures as of November 2026. This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Talk to your attorney or CPA about your situation.

Greenville County Penny Tax Fails Again as Four Cities Pass Their Own