DeKalb sales tax increase put on November ballot
The DeKalb County Board of Commissions is putting a proposal to increase sales taxes on November's ballot.
The board voted 5-1 on Tuesday to hold a Nov. 7 referendum on the sales tax increase, from 7 percent to 8 percent.
The special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) would raise about $100 million annually over the next six years for long overdue road repaving, fire station repairs and other backlogged infrastructure construction.
In addition, voters will also be asked to decide in November on a proposal to decrease homeowners’ property taxes.
If approved, the existing homestead option sales tax (HOST) would be used entirely to reduce county property tax bills. Currently, 80 percent of HOST goes toward property tax relief, and 20 percent is sent to local governments.
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About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
