Cobb SPLOST faces opposition, vote delayed

Over the past two months, officials have held 22 public meetings throughout the county in order to detail proposed projects and gather community feedback.

Cobb’s current SPLOST ends Dec. 31, 2011. The proposed special purpose local option sales tax, if approved by voters, would begin Jan. 1, 2012, and run for six years. The tax is expected to generate $746 million for projects in the county and Cobb’s six cities. The money could pay to shore up parks and roads and help fund a senior wellness center.

“I can’t predict what’s going to happen. What I once assumed would be a unanimous vote [by commissioners] for it is now up in the air,” said Lance Lamberton, president of the Cobb County Taxpayer’s Association, which is opposing the proposal. “The economic landscape has changed a great deal, and people are asking why would the county want to extend this tax increase when people are having trouble making ends meet?”

Lee’s summertime opponent in the chairman’s race, Larry Savage, has also questioned the SPLOST. His motivation has been parks projects involving artificial turf and possible conflicts of interest between Lee and a turf company that employs Lee as a consultant.

Commissioners haven't made a decision while facing a second public hearing scheduled forTuesday night. A SPLOST support group, Citizens for Cobb’s Future, will meet with commissioners this week to discuss a telephone survey of 500 people.

“I’m waiting to see if I hear anything that I didn’t know or haven’t heard before I cast my vote,” Commissioner Woody Thompson said. “I think some people are concerned because of the economy we’re in now, but this is a six-year proposition and we’ve got to have faith that we’re not going to be in this situation forever.”

Cobb’s 2005 SPLOST narrowly passed in a referendum by 114 votes. Its revenue has funded a jail expansion and new courthouse. The economic circumstances surrounding the nation are different now, Commissioner Thea Powell said.

“In 2005 we heard from the no tax groups, but this time we may be hearing more from the community groups who may be giving it more scrutiny than they had in the past SPLOST,” said Commissioner Helen Goreham.

Commissioners Powell, Goreham and Bob Ott will wait to hear more Tuesday before making a decision on the referendum.

Overall, the mood in Cobb County regarding the government direction is upbeat, said attorney Chuck Clay, who is working with CCF. Clay acknowledged passing any fee or tax increase will be difficult, but noted the recent statewide fee proposal to fund trauma care might have failed in other parts of Georgia but it passed in Cobb County.

“The point is, if people see it as value, they would support it,” he said.

Despite the opposition, the proposed SPLOST has the support of Carol Brown and her civic group, Canton Road Neighbors. The SPLOST is the best way for funding improvements to areas of the county that have been overlooked, such as Mableton and Austell in south Cobb, Brown said.

“It seems that much of the opposition is driven ideologically without a basic knowledge of the kinds of facilities that are needed to keep a metropolitan regional viable,” Brown said. “At a minimum, I want to see it placed on a ballot. We live in a democracy and people have a right to make that decision.”