Residents press county over jump from $24M SPLOST estimate to $45M projection

Ms. Hawkins, the county presenter, told commissioners the SPLOST program’s revised estimated revenue as of Dec. 31, 2025, is $45,049,785 and that the county’s projected share is "$41,000,002.58." She listed current fund balances and 2026 commitments totaling $10,794,125 for projects that include courthouse roof replacement, a new 911 center technology package, public safety items and roads and bridges. "As of 12/31/2026, we could be sitting on roughly 6,400,000," she said when describing projected year-end cash if current receipts and commitments hold.

During public comment, resident Owen McDonald pressed officials to explain how the county moved from an original estimated SPLOST revenue of "$24,000,000" to the higher figures published more recently. McDonald asked, "How does the county get from the 24,000,000 in revenue and projected expenditure to the 44,000,000… and who’s making the decisions on what this additional revenue is spent on?" Ms. Hawkins and a county lawyer responded: the $24 million figure reflects the original estimate required by state law for ballot language, while later columns show projected and actual collections; once collections exceed estimates the SPLOST categories (parks and recreation, roads and bridges, county administration, public safety) are allocated by the percentages set in the intergovernmental agreement with the city partner.

The county lawyer explained the statutory framework to the crowd: the legislature requires an initial estimated revenue figure be published with the ballot, and project descriptions can be general categories rather than line-item projects. He said final project budgeting and accounting occur later, and there is an avenue for excess funds to return to the general fund or be otherwise disposed under state law if they cannot be spent on authorized projects. Residents continued to press for a clear accounting and for staff to provide reconciled summaries of actual collections and project-by-project expenditures before the upcoming vote cycle.

What’s next: commissioners committed to additional outreach and said staff would provide materials and answers; several residents asked for a town hall on SPLOST and a full accounting of SPLOST 5 expenditures from inception through the present.