Wedding & Event Venue Near Mt. Pleasant, SC

The town of Mt. Pleasant S.C. is the second coastal town to reject the tourist tax.

On March 6, 2018, the residents of North Myrtle Beach rejected the proposal for a tourist tax, also known as the tourism development fee. Residents cast votes to determine whether they supported the implementation of a new one percent sales tourist tax known as the TDF.

3,050 out of 3,238 total votes casted no votes, while 188 voted in favor, as per the confirmed results.

Tourist Tax rejected in Mt. Pleasant

One week following the announcement of a new 1% sales tourist tax proposition aimed at generating funds for the development of the region surrounding Patriots Point, Mayor Will Haynie publicly admitted his mistake and abandoned the proposal on December 9th.

At a press conference on December 9th at Memorial Waterfront Park, Haynie assumed complete responsibility for the plan’s shortcomings and negative perception, humbly requesting the forgiveness of the residents.

Mt. Pleasant residents expressed their dissatisfaction and confusion due to the proposed increase in taxes and the potential disturbance of protected land, leading to the subsequent retraction.

Haynie stood alone at the Sweetgrass Pavilion, located under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, to declare his decision to retract the proposed local option tourist tax of 1 percent.

The “1% retail sales tax, will NOT be considered and that idea will be dropped — completely… FULL STOP on the retail tax idea,” the mayor said in a statement provided to media.

Mount Pleasant Councilman John Iacofano said the 1 percent retail sales tax should have been put to the voters via ballot referendum, as it was done in North Myrtle Beach in 2018.

Haynie expressed disapproval of implementing the 1 percent retail tax, stating it was a bad idea.

“It won’t see the light of day,” Haynie said.

“I think we have some healing to do, and I don’t think it’s over with an apology. I think that we’ve got some proactive work to do,” said John Iacofano, Mt. Pleasant City Councilman.

“I think that the citizens of Mount Pleasant were clearly taken aback by the whole process, or lack of process, for how this was rolled out,” Mt. Pleasant City Councilwoman Guang Ming Whitley said.

MYRTLE BEACH TOURIST TAX is the only one in S.C.

The Tourist Tax was enacted in 2008 through a city council vote led by then Mayor John Rhodes and the Myrtle Beach City Council. However, it was not subjected to a voter referendum.

The 1% sales option tourist tax contributes $24.5 million annually to the revenue collected by the City of Myrtle Beach.

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce receives 80% of these funds specifically for out-of-market advertising purposes.