Stephens County, Toccoa and nearby towns begin SPLOST 8 negotiations over project list and funding split

Stephens County commissioners and representatives from the cities of Toccoa, Martin and Avalon met to begin interjurisdictional negotiations over the proposed SPLOST 8 sales-tax program, focusing on which projects get funded and how revenues would be split.

County staff outlined two primary paths: a negotiated six‑year intergovernmental agreement (IGA) that would set fixed shares for each municipality, or a population‑distribution approach that funds designated level‑1 projects first (debt service for large county projects) and divides remaining proceeds by population. Christian, a county staff member at the table, summarized the choice: if municipalities reach a 6‑year IGA, «we'll start that at a basic estimate» and distribute funds accordingly; if not, the county would fund level‑1 projects first and then split remaining funds by population.

Officials discussed projected totals and assumptions. Christian cited a conservative estimate of about $36,000,000 under a six‑year IGA and noted a higher CPI assumption would raise projected receipts (a 2% CPI example produced roughly $38,000,000). Commissioners repeatedly cautioned these are forecasts, not guarantees, and emphasized the need for engineering and cost studies before final commitments.

The meeting produced agreements on next steps: municipalities will provide project lists and dollar amounts ahead of follow‑up sessions, feasibility studies already underway will provide more precise estimates within roughly 60–75 days, and the group will hold additional public meetings to gather feedback before finalizing SPLOST language for a referendum.