Cobb County deputy manager explains proposed SPLOST projects, outreach and schedule

Cobb County Deputy County Manager Bill Vman said the county is preparing a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST, package that county leaders expect will fund more than $1 billion in infrastructure over the next six years if placed before voters and approved.

Speaking on the program Inside the District in March 2026, Vman described SPLOST as a way to raise revenue from both county residents and many nonresidents who use county roads and facilities. "The economists break it down to say roughly about 30% comes from outside of the county," he said, describing outside visitors to sporting events and conventions as part of the tax base.

Vman said the current project list emphasizes transportation but also includes parks, libraries, senior facilities and large facility renovations. He cited the East–West Connector and Windy Hill Connector as transportation examples, and named Spring Hill Parkway, Paces Ferry Road at Twin Lakes in Vinings, the Busby Drive corridor, a Superior Court building and renovations to Anderson Theatre and an aquatic center among proposed items.

The county developed the list through department-level project requests vetted by the deputy county manager and county manager offices and discussed with commissioners. Vman said the original request totaled about $1.6 billion and was pared back "to just over 794 million" after review.

To gather public input, Cobb used nine community engagement meetings and an online survey the county said had drawn roughly 2,000 respondents with "just above 84% approval" for the SPLOST program overall. Vman encouraged residents to complete the survey before it closes at the end of the month.

On budgeting and construction cost risk, Vman said county staff "escalate" present-day cost estimates to the year a project is expected to be built. He used the planned courthouse as an example, saying the $174 million figure is a 2030 construction value derived by applying escalation assumptions to current estimates.

Vman outlined the next procedural steps: an April 1 forum for business partners to review the list (scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.), a work session to present survey results and an April 28 board meeting when commissioners will vote on the final project list. He said the county expects to prepare ballot language in June and is negotiating intergovernmental agreements with the county’s cities on how funds will be shared.

Vman emphasized that SPLOST-funded projects on the ballot are intended to be completed, citing the county’s history using SPLOST since 1985 and noting the county recently closed out the 2005 SPLOST while work continues on later lists. He encouraged residents to review the project list and use the engagement opportunities before the measure appears on the ballot.

The county provided the project-selection overview and schedule during this recorded interview; no formal vote occurred during the program itself. The board’s April 28 vote will determine the final list that could be included on a future county ballot.