SPLOST up for Renewal in 2013, Council Discusses Possible Funding Allocations

Later this year, Gwinnett County voters will be asked to extend the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for another five years.

In preparation for the election, Dacula City Council members must decide which projects would be funded should voters approve the extension. 

"We think we're going to continue with what we're doing," Dacula Mayor Jimmy Wilbanks.

Under the current SPLOST, the majority of funds were allocated for transportation projects. Tentative plans call for a similar distribution for 2014-2019 SPLOST proceeds.

If the SPLOST extension passes, the city stands to receive $3.7 million. Of that, $1.7 million would be used to fund the city's 5-year transportation plan, $1 million would be earmarked for administrative facilities, $50,000 would go towards recreational facilities (playground equipment or similar items) and roughly $1 million would be set aside for future sewer projects.

Wilbanks explained it would require an approximately 30 mill property tax increase to generate a comparable amount of revenue for the city.

"It's probably the fairest kind of that tax we could have," Wilbanks said. "We share with the whole county and with those people who come in from outside the county."

Click through the photos above for an overview of other items discussed during Thursday night's work session. The council meets in regular session next Thursday, March 7, at 7 p.m.

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