Jones County begins planning SPLOST referendum that could take effect in 2021

Jones County commissioners opened a work session Oct. 15, 2019, to begin setting a timeline and evaluation process for a possible Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendum that, if approved by voters, could take effect in 2021.

Jason (staff member) told the board that SPLOST is levied on transactions subject to sales and use tax, including food and motor fuels when applied as a prepaid local tax, and that collections and legal requirements are governed by state law and guidance such as the ACG SPLOST guide. He said the county can levy SPLOST for five years or, under certain conditions such as an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with a municipality or inclusion of countywide “level 1” projects requiring more than 24 months of revenue, for six years.

The staff review spelled out required steps and deadlines: at least 30 days before the election the county must meet and confer with affected municipalities (the city of Grey was cited as the negotiating partner), adopt a resolution listing county and municipal projects with estimated costs and the tax time period, deliver that resolution to the election superintendent for the call of the…