The official committee charged with laying the groundwork for the next SPLOST referendum continues to solicit opinions from all corners of the county as to what should be funded in the next round of sales tax collections – should the voters approve it.
The current effort is for what is commonly known as SPLOST V, since an affirmative vote this fall would be the fifth in favor of a special-purpose, local option sales tax for county projects. Revenue collections for the fourth SPLOST cycle end March 31, 2020; the sales tax would be continued without interruption if the referendum passes.
The next SPLOST committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 28, at 6:30 p.m. at Timber Ridge Elementary School on Hwy. 20 north of East Lake Road. Another meeting is set for exactly one week later, March 7, at the same time at Cotton Indian Elementary School on Old Conyers Road. These two schools are located in Districts 4 and 5, illustrating the committee’s desire to meet in all five county districts during its tenure.
The final public meeting is Thursday, March 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the county administration building on Henry Parkway in McDonough.
“The turnout has varied from meeting to meeting, but I think overall it’s been an OK number,” said Clayton Carte, the committee’s chairman. He was appointed to the panel by Board of Commissioners Chair June Wood and selected by the other committee members to lead the meetings.
The current committee has seven members, a considerably smaller number than in the past. Each of the six county commissioners had one appointee, as does the county manager. Past committees have had two members appointed by each commissioner, Carte said.
The committee is putting together a list of recommendations that will be presented to the Board of Commissioners in May. Any specific projects slated for funding must by law be included on the referendum so that voters know exactly what is being decided at the polls.
Commissioners will deliberate over the committee’s recommendations and could make some changes before the final list is approved and a call for the referendum is approved. That will have to be done by late summer to give the elections office enough time to prepare the ballot.
Officials projected $195 million for the current six-year SPLOST cycle and $220 million for the next one, also six years, if approved.
“The economy is really strong and SPLOST IV is collecting above projections,” said Carte.
The county would distribute 75 percent of SPLOST V revenue with the remaining 25 percent being divided among the four cities. Officials have not gone in depth in all districts yet as far as potential projects, according to Carte, but discussions so far indicate the bulk of the money will be earmarked for transportation. Some capital projects such as buildings and park expansion could be included.
The committee receives ongoing feedback from citizens as meetings continue, Carte said. He has used his own website and Facebook page, both called Moving Henry Forward, to keep people in the loop.
“I know a lot of people can’t make these meetings,” he said. “I want them to have the opportunity to give their feedback.”
Carte is involved in local issues on an exceptionally high level, especially considering the fact that four years ago he was a senior at Ola High School. The 22-year-old lives in Locust Grove and is a political science major at Clayton State University, with plans to pursue postgraduate studies in urban planning. Nearly 4,000 people follow his Facebook page which was created just over two years ago and provides links to various meeting agendas as well as his own blog, found at movinghenryforward.org
