In South Carolina, residents who are 85 and older are provided a one percent sales tax reduction on many items bought for personal use. This included many food items. The customer must have identification, such as a driver’s license, for proof of age. This information about the sales tax reduction is to be posted in plain view at businesses. However, it rarely is. Publix in Chapin is one of the few places it is posted, but many of their employees are not informed. Most business’s employees are uninformed about the reduction and many businesses refuse to give the reduction even when they are informed.
There should be follow through with penalties when the reduction is not given or when the information is not plainly visible to the customer. This follow through does not happen either, even when appropriate state employees are notified.
Addistion informat can be found on the site listed below:
SC Revenue Ruling #08-3
SC Department of Revenue (.gov)
https://dor.sc.gov.resources-
PDF – The south Carolina sales and use tax law provides a lower state tax rate for purchases by individuals 85 or age and older for their personal use.
Rebecca McDaniel
Chapin