Douglas Committee Makes SPLOST Recommendations

DOUGLASVILLE, GA — A citizen's committee has made its recommendations for how a special-purpose, local option sales tax on the Douglas County ballot on November 8 would be spent.

The Citizen Project Selection Committee met earlier this month to complete the work.

Under the recommendations, the local sales tax would be split among three major categories: 51 percent for transportation and roads, 32 percent for fire and emergency services and 17 percent for parks and recreation.

The county government's share of the one-cent sales tax, which would last six years, is estimated to be about $100 million.

Here's how the spending would break down:

Total Transportation/Roads: $51 million

Road Resurfacing - $18 million

Economic Development Transportation Projects - $10 million

Intersections/Operations - $15 million

Sidewalks and Bridges - $8 million

Total Fire/EMS/Public Safety Radio System: $32 million

Public Safety Radio System - $16.5 million

Ambulance/Engine/Aerial/Heavy Rescue/Vehicles - $8.1 million

Fire Training Center Completion - $1 million

Fire Safety Mobile Education House - $100,000

New Fire Station #9 Construction, Equipment/Vehicles - $4.2 million

Existing Fire Stations/Headquarters Renovations - $2 million

Fire/EMS Computer Upgrades - $100,000

Total Parks/Recreation: $17 million total

Multi-purpose Recreation Facility/Senior Center/Gym- $11.2 million

Park Renovations - $2.369 million

Park Equipment - $500,000

Dog River Nature Center - $2.8 million

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners may accept, reject or modify project recommendations from the citizens committee.

The group's members were all volunteers. Each county commission district had equal representation on the committee.

No members of the board of commissioners or county staff were on the committee. It met numerous times over a two-month period to develop the project recommendation list.