The campaign to get voters to renew Cherokee County's Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax in November was low key until last week, when someone reported a Woodstock code enforcement officer for removing "Vote No SPLOST" signs.
Woodstock stands to gain $17.6 million over six years from the 1-cent sales tax. The county, including Woodstock's portion, is projected to take in about $200 million. The renewed SPLOST would keep Cherokee's sales tax rate at 6 percent -- 4 percent for the state, 1 percent for the county and a separate 1 percent SPLOST for local schools.
Former Woodstock Mayor Bill Dewrell, who is running the anti-SPLOST campaign, said he will try to swear out an arrest warrant on the unnamed city employee unless his anti-SPLOST signs are returned.
"For them to be able to take [the signs] down when their government is going to be affected by the vote, it looks really bad for them," he said.
Campaign signs can be posted on private property with permission, but not on public property. Code enforcement officer duties include removing illegally placed signs.
Mayor Donnie Henriques said the overzealous officer was not targeting anti-SPLOST signs, but rather taking signs from every campaign.
"He was not being discriminatory . . . He was getting everybody he saw, on private property, public property, everything," Henriques said. "He went a little overboard."
City Manager Jeff Moon, confirmed the man was placed on leave last week for that and other reasons.
Cherokee's voters approved the SPLOST when times were flush, and shoppers will continue paying it until July 2012 even if the extension is defeated. Cherokee commissioners decided to seek renewal now because the ballot next year will include a renewed SPLOST for schools, and the new state transportation SPLOST could come up for a vote soon. They feared voters would get turned off by too many SPLOST votes on a single ballot.
The tax is used to build public infrastructure, with $93 million to be spent on roads, bridges and county airport improvements; $25 million on jail expansion, law-enforcement equipment and animal shelter improvements; $7 million on new fire stations and equipment; and $3.7 million on economic development and other projects such as soccer fields.
Cities get a share of the money and, like Woodstock, most propose spending it on water and sewer, roads, parks and police and fire equipment and stations.
John Szczesniak is leading Citizens for a Better Cherokee to try to pump up support for the SPLOST. He said the county needs it to stay safe and competitive. Building good infrastructure attracts businesses, residents and prospective employers, he said.
The SPLOST collects contributions not only from residents, but also from nonresidents who shop in Cherokee, Szczesniak noted. A county study estimates about 30 percent of the SPLOST is paid by non-residents.
Commissioner Karen Bosch said that helps keep property taxes low.
Szczesniak said the depressed economy is making the tax harder to sell this election.
"It's not a good time in the economy for a renewal of a tax, and I think some of the current politicians are touting it as another tax increase when it is renewal of a tax in place already," he said.
Dewrell's signs call it "Another Tax Increase."
He said he questions the way the county rushed to get it on the ballot.
"They have not done a good job of explaining where all this will be spent," Dewrell said, adding that the referendum is "vague" about how the money will be used.
"If you really want this and need this, then sell it to us," he said.
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