SPLOST Requests Explained At Virtual Town Hall Meeting

The wish list for the 2021 Oconee County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax is a long and expensive one, including $21.5 million for road projects and $18.8 million for water and sewer facilities.

The total request before the Board of Commissioners is for just less than $78.5 million.

Both the current 2015 SPLOST and the 2021 SPLOST that is proposed for the Nov. 3 ballot are 1 percent sales taxes running six years.

The current tax is projected to generate only $37.8 million, though it was projected to bring in $47.3 million when it was presented to the voters.

County Finance Director Wes Geddings has not yet offered a projection for SPLOST 2021, but it is certain that the Board of Commissioners is going to have to pare back the list of requests before it goes to the voters.

County Administrator Justin Kirouac went over the wish list in detail with the public at the virtual Town Hall Meeting held on Tuesday night, and he likely will do the same thing in another virtual Town Hall Meeting starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday.

The SPLOST project list also is on the agenda for discussion at the Board of Commissioners Agenda Setting meeting on Tuesday night. That meeting also starts at 6 p.m., and citizens can participate via live streaming.

The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday night also will consider a joint use agreement with Oconee County Schools for school and county sports facilities.

For more on this story, with a video of the Town Hall Meeting, pleases go to Oconee County Observations.