The story so far

Gwinnett wants voters to approve a sales tax to pay for construction projects.

The latest: County and city officials are discussing how to divide the money if voters approve the sales tax in November. The sales tax would pay for roads, parks, public safety and other projects.

What’s next: In July, county commissioners are expected to authorize a November referendum on the sales tax.

Gwinnett County officials are gearing up to ask voters to approve a penny sales tax that would generate hundreds of millions of dollars for construction projects.

County commissioners on Tuesday met with local mayors and other city officials to discuss how they will divide the money if voters approve a new special local option sales tax (SPLOST) in November. The money would provide a windfall for roads, parks, public safety and other projects.

In recent years, comfortable majorities of Gwinnett voters have approved similar sales tax measures. In 2013, the most recent SPLOST passed with 58 percent of the vote, but that tax expires next March.

Elected officials say renewing it is vital to maintaining and improving the area’s infrastructure.

“I’m a big fan of SPLOST,” said Suwanee City Councilman Dick Goodman. “Gwinnett citizens should be, too.”

Gwinnett has asked voters to approve temporary sales taxes for construction regularly since the first SPLOST in 1985. Only once – in 1995 – did voters decline. They approved a revamped proposal the following year.

The sales taxes provide local governments a steady income they can devote to a variety of projects. The current SPLOST is projected to generate $453 million. More than half will be devoted to transportation projects, with various city, public safety, parks, libraries and senior services projects accounting for the rest.

Preliminary estimates show the proposed SPLOST would generate $600 million over four years or $900 million over six years. No decision has been made about which officials will ask for, but County Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash said Tuesday she prefers a six-year SPLOST.

Suwanee’s Goodman said the sales tax saves governments millions of dollars in financing costs they’d have to pay if they had to borrow money to pay for construction projects. Another benefit: Many non-Gwinnett residents pay sales taxes, easing the burden on county residents who would feel a bigger pinch if governments resorted to other taxes.

“There’s no doubt this is another tax,” Goodman said. “But it’s about as painless a way (to pay for projects) as you can go.”

Gwinnett County receives about 79 percent of the net proceeds of the SPLOST approved in 2013, with cities splitting the rest.

The governments must hammer out another agreement for the new SPLOST. If they’re able to do that, county commissioners are expected to vote in July to authorize the voter referendum.