County Commissioners Discuss SPLOST Projects

The Jasper County Commissioners devoted their regular meeting Monday to discussing projects for a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

Currently Jasperites pay one penny on each dollar spent for a sales tax approved in 2005 to fund road improvements and other projects. That tax will expire next March, and commissioners are hoping voters will approve a new one to fund items that would be difficult to fund in the general budget.

Commissioners made the point that many of the items considered for the special sales tax are necessities, and if voters do not approve the sales tax, the property owners would bear the burden because property taxes would have to increase.

Commissioners reviewed a list that included $598,000 for fire services, $250,000 for the sheriff’s department, $300,000 for recreation, $895,000 for public works equipment, and $350,000 in other projects. The anticipated revenue for the sales tax would be about $5 million for the county’s portion. Therefore, in addition to the aforementioned projects, there would be about $1.5 million for roads.
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Commissioners Jack Bernard and Alan Cox expressed concern that it was not enough for roads. However, County Manager Greg Wood showed the results of a survey held at Team Jasper which rated emergency services among the highest priorities and roads very low. Mr. Wood is planning to have ‘town hall’ type meetings in several locations to get more input from the citizens.

The commissioners are planning to meet with representatives of the cities of Monticello and Shady Dale on April 18 to discuss percentages and determine if it will be a five year or six year SPLOST.

Commissioner Bernard said the revenues should be divided along the census lines, and if the cities did not agree, then the county would just have a five year SPLOST.