News

City formally asks for quarter-cent sales tax vote

By Bill Moss, Published: March 8, 2019

The Hendersonville City Council voted on Thursday to ask the N.C. Legislature to allow a referendum in the city on a quarter-cent sales tax.

The tax, which would raise about $2 million if voters approved it, would fund streets, sidewalks and greenways.
“We’ve been working with Rep. McGrady about introducing a bill,” City Manager John Connet said.
Connet and council members said the city is limited in revenue options to the property tax and that a local option sales tax would spread the burden to visitors and tourists who don’t pay city property taxes.
“We know we have a large number of people that come in and use our infrastructure,” Connet said, “and all of that cost should not be based on the (city) property taxpayer.”
“I’ve to a lot of people of all ages and I haven’t gotten any opposed to it,” Councilman Ron Stephens said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of support for it.”

The vote could come as early as November if the General Assembly were to approve the referendum in time to get it on the ballot. City voters go to the polls in November to elect two council members.