Oconee commissioners approve SPLOST 2027 IGA and call referendum
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Summary
The Oconee County Board approved a final intergovernmental agreement for the proposed SPLOST 2027 renewal and adopted a resolution calling the referendum; the IGA would permit a six-year collection period and includes signatures and project lists from participating municipalities.
The Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 27 to give final approval to an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for the proposed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) 2027 renewal and to adopt a resolution formally calling the referendum.
County staff said the IGA and project lists — which have been signed by all participating mayors — would allow the county to collect the SPLOST for six years rather than five and remove the cap on collections. "This will allow us having this IGA will allow us to collect for 6 years versus 5 with no cap," a county staff member said during the presentation.
Why it matters: SPLOST renewals determine a county's local sales tax project funding for capital investments such as road improvements, parks work and public facilities. The board's approval of the IGA and the resolution sends the measure to the ballot and asks the Board of Elections to set the official election date.
Board action and next steps: Commissioners voted to approve the IGA and then adopted the resolution calling the SPLOST 2027 election; staff noted the Board of Elections is expected to meet Feb. 2 to schedule the election. The resolution specifies election procedures and the project and funding amounts that will appear in the referendum materials.
What was said: A county staff member explained the purpose and mechanics of the IGA and the referendum call. After board discussion, an unnamed commissioner moved to approve the IGA and another moved to adopt the resolution; the motions were seconded and carried.
What's next: With the IGA and resolution approved, the county and participating cities will proceed with final ballot language and election logistics. The board did not change the project list in the meeting; staff said any city-provided project amounts were already incorporated into the IGA.