(a) In the event a majority of those voting in a special election held pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-465 shall approve the levy of the local sales and use tax, the board of county commissioners may, by resolution, proceed to levy the tax.

(b) In addition, the board of county commissioners may, in the event no election has been held within five years under the provisions of N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-465 in which the tax has been defeated, after not less than 10 days’ public notice and after a public hearing held pursuant thereto, by resolution, impose and levy the local sales and use tax to the same extent and with the same effect as if the levy of the tax had been approved in an election held pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 105-465

(b1) If the board of commissioners of a county has imposed the local sales and use tax authorized by this Article and any or all of the taxes authorized by Articles 40 and 42 of this Chapter, with or without a special election, and the county subsequently becomes part of a consolidated city-county, the taxes shall continue in effect unless and until repealed by the governing board of the consolidated city-county.

(c) Collection of the tax, and liability therefor, must begin and continue only on and after the first day of a calendar quarter, as set by the board of county commissioners in the resolution levying the tax. The county must give the Secretary at least 90 days advance notice of a new tax levy or tax rate change. The applicability of a new tax or a tax rate change to purchases from printed catalogs becomes effective on the first day of a calendar quarter after a minimum of 120 days from the date the Secretary notifies the seller that receives orders by means of a catalog or similar publication of the new tax or tax rate change. A local rate increase may only be effective on the first day of a calendar quarter after a minimum of 60 days’ notice to sellers by the Secretary.

(d) Upon adoption of a resolution levying the tax, the board of county commissioners shall immediately deliver a certified copy of the resolution to the Secretary, accompanied by a certified statement from the county board of elections, if applicable, setting forth the results of any special election approving the tax in the county. Upon receipt of these documents, the Secretary shall collect and administer the tax as provided in this Article. (1971, c. 77, s. 2; 1973, c. 302; c. 476, s. 193; 1977, c. 372, s. 1; 1993, c. 485, s. 22; 1995, c. 461, s. 16; 2000-120, s. 12; 2001-414, s. 28; 2003-284, s. 45.10; 2010-95, s. 12; 2016-5, s. 3.17(b).)