Since Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VI collections began in Dawson County in July 2015, the county has completed a number of projects with the monies – from more than 23 miles of road improvements to the purchase of nearly two dozen Sheriff’s vehicles. In all, these projects total more than $10 million.
SPLOST is a 1 percent sales tax that was adopted by the board of commissioners as a resolution and approved by the Dawson County citizens in a general election.
Dawson County elected to complete projects on a pay-as-you-go approach, meaning that the county is not authorized to bond or borrow against the SPLOST revenue to complete projects.
The adopted resolution that was approved by the citizens devotes 85 percent of collections to Dawson County and 15 percent to the city of Dawsonville. Each entity is responsible for programing and managing its own SPLOST VI funds within the boundaries of the approved project list in the resolution.
SPLOST VI is a six-year collection that began July 1, 2015.
SPLOST VI funds allocated to the county are split into five functions/departments, and a percentage of the total estimated revenue based on each of the projects listed in the resolution is utilized to develop a program for expending the collections as allowed. The functions/departments and percentage of the total projected revenue allocated to the county is: Sheriff, 11 percent; Fire/EMS, 11 percent; Parks and Recreation, 10 percent; Public Works, 67 percent; and Information Technology, 1 percent. Staff develops a phased program annually to complete SPLOST VI projects.
A summary of each SPLOST VI phase that has been completed, as well as a listing of the total function/department expenditures to date, follows:
SPLOST VI - Phase I
Sheriff - 11 Sheriff’s vehicles and miscellaneous equipment
Fire/EMS - Cardiac monitors, two ambulances, fire truck payoff and a fire truck
Parks and Recreation - Field rehabilitation at Veterans Memorial and Rock Creek parks and soccer field lights at Rock Creek Park
Public Works - Purchased trailers and equipment and performed a full-depth reclamation on Dawson Forest Road, totaling 6.2 miles
SPLOST VI - Phase II
Sheriff - 12 Sheriff’s vehicles and miscellaneous equipment
Fire/EMS - Ambulance - Fire Station 9/community room - to be completed in 2018
Parks and Recreation - Pool house/demo and reconstruction at Veterans Memorial Park - to be completed in 2018
Public Works - Purchased equipment, performed full-depth reclamation on Steve Tate Highway, Thompson Road, Tanner Road and Kelly Bridge Road, totaling 17.49 miles
SPLOST VI Phase I and Phase II Total Expenditures
Sheriff: $1,119,364, Fire/EMS: $1,621,409, Parks and Recreation: $502,663 and Public Works: $7,319,755.
“Dawson County SPLOST is a great asset to complete and/or purchase capital projects that otherwise would have to be purchased from the general fund or through other financial means – projects that, in many cases, would not get completed,” said David McKee, director of Public Works/SPLOST. “All of Dawson County SPLOST VI projects have been purchased or completed as planned.”
“Thanks to voter-approved SPLOST, and through the hard work and dedication of our employees, we’ve been able accomplish a great deal with these allocated funds,” said County Manager David Headley. “We look forward to completing more SPLOST VI-funded projects that will help better serve the taxpayers.”