The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners has approved an intergovernmental agreement with its seven cities that would extend for six years the county’s Special Purpose Local Optional Sales Tax. The cities already have approved the agreement.
The present, one-penny SPLOST expires next year. The county board on Aug. 1 is expected to consider a measure to put the extension on the November ballot. If voters approve, a new SPLOST would take effect in July 2018 and raise nearly $253 million for county and city capital projects.
Cherokee would receive about $182 million; Ball Ground, $2.9 million; Canton, $24.6 million; Holly Springs, $10.3 million; Mountain Park, $25,000; Nelson, $1 million; Waleska, $2.5 million; and Woodstock, $28.8 million.
The county plans to devote most of its SPLOST funds to transportation, $95 million; jail expansion, $23 million; fire and emergency services, $21.1 million; court facilities, $17.5 million; emergency communications, $9.6 million, and business and economic development, $8 million.
“This is a big deal. This is a major, major step,” county board Chairman L.B. Ahrens told commissioners. “It’s basically a renewal – the voters will decide that – (but) a lot of effort goes into identifying the project balance among and between the cities. It’s been real quiet with the municipalities, so I think it’s come together in the right way.”
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