ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — The Orangeburg County Council has given second reading approval to charge hospitality and accommodations taxes. A two percent hospitality tax would apply to restaurants serving prepared meals and beverages, and three percent tax accommodations will apply to hotels.
“There’s a lot of counties out there that have been doing this for a long time before us, we’re just late to the party," said county administrator Harold Young.
County leaders say the extra revenue will be used to upgrade areas where a lot of these restaurants and hotels are located. The upgrades will include additional lighting, security cameras, charging stations for electric vehicles, and increased law enforcement presence around these areas.
It will focus on the hospitality corridors, including highly populated areas along Highways 301 and 601.
“We get a lot of people stopping into Orangeburg, especially with all the construction and stuff is concerned and those additional people puts burdens on law enforcement, EMS and other stuff that we have to be able to keep up with," said Young.
Part of the mission is to invest in areas that drive visitors to the county. The county is also trying to keep up with the inflated cost of items like lights and cameras.
“That revenue has to come from somewhere and instead of increasing the taxes on that, we feel like the accommodations and the hospitality tax will tax the individuals using that area instead of the individuals that live here," he said.
If council approves third reading of these ordinances, they will implement the taxes for the following fiscal year.