County to Ask Voters to Consider Hospitality Tax

Anderson County officials will give voters the chance to help the county fund the county's 37 parks and other projects by putting a question on the hospitality tax on November's ballot.

"This is important for Anderson County," said Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns. "The need is there."

The non-binding, advisory referendum question will ask voters to weigh in on the 2-percent hospitality tax on meals served by restaurants in unincoporated parts of the county. A study last years estimated the tax could raise $3.5 million annually for recreation and other projects. 

Most of the cities and towns in the county already have a hospitality tax in place. The City of Anderson generates nearly $3 million annually from their hospitality tax.

A county hospitality tax would not be added such areas, and would instead only be applied to unincoporated areas not currently a part of any other hospitality tax.

"The ablilty to rasie approximately $3 million each year for parks and other recreation projects is a big deal," Burns said.