Officials with both governments are working to get the ball rolling on a new 1-cent special purpose, local option sales tax, and they discussed the issue at Thursday’s meeting of the Joint Services Committee.
The first step would be to create a citizen committee to help draft a list of possible projects.
That project list would be presented to the city and county governments for approval prior to going before local voters.
Voters rejected a proposed $32.4 million SPLOST on the ballot last March that would have started when the 2009 SPLOST ends on June 30.
It included a variety of road projects and capital purchases for Rome, Cave Spring and Floyd County.
While no specific projects were discussed, Rome City Manager John Bennett spoke about ways to make a SPLOST enticing to voters.
“The inclusion of energy-efficient projects is something that could be used as a selling point,” Bennett said.
Projects that would limit added operational costs also increase the likelihood of passage in the long run, he said.
A finalized ballot question would have to be submitted to the U.S. Justice Department by early September for approval to be placed on the Nov. 12 general election ballot.
While Bennett reminded officials that the SPLOST talks are still preliminary, the discussion led the Joint Services Committee to consider other issues as well.
County Commissioner Garry Fricks brought up the possibility of calling a vote on Sunday alcohol package sales in the unincorporated parts of the county, if a countywide SPLOST vote is planned.
There are city elections scheduled, but the county does not have any seats up for a vote this year, and unincorporated residents would not
otherwise be going to the polls.
A 2011 change in Georgia state law allowed local governments to put Sunday alcohol package sales on the ballot. Rome, Cartersville, Kingston, Rockmart, Cedartown and unincorporated Bartow County are among the places where voters have approved the sales.
Rome voters passed Sunday alcohol package sales during the March 2012 primary by a 2,458 to 1,839 margin.
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Case(s) in point - The new radio system; anything related to Parks and Recreation; anything related to local road construction and upkeep.
I just hope they don't dream up something "education" related to pitch to the masses. Kids are the trojan horse of taxes. "PASS IT FOR THE KIDS OR YOU'RE A BAD PERSON!"
Draft that !
If they are insisting on a SPLOST, the most worthy issue I can think of is to save the jobs that will be lost when this $7 million RIF from Floyd County BOE goes in to effect.
Voters are more likely to approve the SPLOSTS to save jobs because everyone in this county knows BOE employees who need their paychecks. Voters aren't likely to approve a SPLOST just because politicians just want money. Now is not the time for "capital purchases." Maybe a good "selling point" could be the education of this county's children. I'm sure we will eventually hear "we can't use SPLOST funds for the BOE."