Berkeley County to introduce new sales tax aimed at education improvements

BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - People in Berkeley County will notice an additional sales tax on their shopping receipts in less than a month.

The new education capital improvement sales tax is a 1% increase, meaning the sales tax in Berkeley County will go from 8% to 9%.

The 9% breaks down as a 6% state sales tax, a 1% local option sales tax, a 1% transportation tax and a 1% education capital improvement tax.

The additional tax will directly benefit the Berkeley County School District.

The district’s goal is to fund three new schools, renovate and expand three high schools and a middle school and improve the athletic facilities at eight high schools.

Elaine Morgan, CEO of the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce, believes that transparency with this money is necessary if the school district hopes to renew this tax.

“Everything should be done for the benefit of those students and the future education of our students, and for us to retain and recruit teachers, high-level teachers, we need to have great schools,” Morgan said.

The change was voted on and passed back in November and can last for seven years. It will go into effect on March 1.

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