Speakers at a Cobb County meeting highlighted the local impact of SPLOST funding and urged a public-education effort ahead of a proposed follow-up to the 2022 SPLOST.

"It's been a huge benefit to our residents," Speaker 1, an unidentified meeting participant, said, pointing to parks and recreation improvements as the kinds of "shiny objects" residents notice and value. Speaker 1 traced support back through earlier programs and said the most recent 2022 SPLOST continued that work.

The comments underscored budget constraints in smaller jurisdictions. "SPLOST to our community is actually capital improvement," Speaker 2, an unidentified meeting participant, said, adding that their area is "the smallest in the county" and lacks the expenditure base to carry out capital projects without SPLOST funding. Speaker 2 said SPLOST helps address aging infrastructure and has supported public safety over the years.

Several participants emphasized outreach. "But if we don't educate the people on SPLOST and what it does, who pays for it, and all the things that it does, we're gonna be behind the power curve," Speaker 3, an unidentified meeting participant, said, urging voter education about the tax and its uses. Speaker 3 described the measure as "an asset" and said the proposal would be a consecutive or follow-up SPLOST to the 2022 program, with hopes to maintain facilities and recreation centers.

Speakers gave examples of projects financed by SPLOST funds, including road maintenance, parks and recreation facilities, libraries and justice and court system improvements. "Allows us to build your community ... like our parks and recreation facilities and our libraries and even our, justice and court system," Speaker 4, an unidentified meeting participant, said.

No motions or formal votes were recorded in the provided transcript. Participants framed the next steps in general terms — continuing the SPLOST program and investing in community amenities — and emphasized the need for public education about what SPLOST pays for and who pays the tax.