Rock Hill OKs Costco Incentive Despite Tax Income Cut

Despite numerous council members expressing dissatisfaction with a reduction in their tax income, the Rock Hill City Council approved York County’s revamped infrastructure incentive package for Costco’s proposed distribution center at their December 8th city council meeting. The agreement facilitates Costco’s payment for necessary infrastructure upgrades at a property located off Interstate 77 and Porter Road. This site is slated to become a distribution center serving the Carolinas and Georgia. The core of the dispute arose after the County Council amended the original agreement, mandating that Rock Hill reduce its tax collection by 75 percent. Under the revised terms, the taxes that would have otherwise gone to the city are instead directed to the school district. Several council members voiced their dissatisfaction, arguing that the county was claiming an unfairly large share of tax dollars from the city. They also expressed concern that diverting a greater amount of tax money to the schools was problematic because a portion of these funds would not be retained locally.