Douglas County Transportation SPLOST 2024 - Council for Quality Growth

Overview

Douglas County is proposing a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) referendum for November 5th, 2024. A T-SPLOST is a tool for Georgia voters to enact a regional sales tax for transportation purposes and projects. The law allows a region to implement a one percent regional sales tax over a period to fund transportation improvements. This initiative seeks to address the growing transportation needs of the county through an additional 1% sales tax, expected to generate over $100 million in revenue over six-years from 2025 to 2031. The Douglas County’s Department of Transportation will utilize this revenue to improve the county’s roads through maintenance & new projects focusing on safety, congestion relief, enhanced mobility, and quality of life for all citizens.

The ballot language will be as follows: “Shall a special one percent (1%) sales and use tax be imposed in the special district of Douglas County for a period of time not to exceed six years and for the raising of not more than an estimated amount of $160,000,000.00 for transportation purposes? If the imposition of the tax is approved by the voters, such a vote shall also constitute approval of the issuance of general obligation debt of Douglas County, in the principal amount of up to $60,000,000 for the above purposes.”

The Intergovernmental agreement between the county and cities will divide the monthly actual proceeds as follows:

Douglas County – 70.85%
City of Douglasville – 24.02%
City of Villa Rica – 5.04%
City of Austell – 0.09%

Key Facts About T-SPLOST:

Does T-SPLOST affect property taxes?
- No, TSPLOST does not raise property taxes. It is funded through a 1% sales tax on goods purchased within the county, and property tax adjustments are not directly tied to this initiative.
Who pays into T-SPLOST?
- Everyone who makes purchases in Douglas County, including visitors, contributes to T-SPLOST. This includes travelers, shoppers, and local residents alike.

Past Successful Transportation Projects in Douglas County:

Pedestrian Friendly Connectivity

Pedestrian-friendly sidewalk projects provide safe routes to schools and enhance pedestrian connectivity to neighboring areas and parks. Past projects include sidewalks at New Manchester High School, Chestnut Log Middle School, and Turner Middle School, and Maxham Road Sidewalk with a combined value of $2.2 million

Paving Roads to Improve Road Safety

Since 2017, over 300 roadway segments, totaling 140 miles have been paved in our community. This represents 1/7 of the entire roadways in the Douglas County, serving thousands of drivers each day.

Lee Road Expansion Project to Ease Traffic Flow

Douglas County is undertaking its largest transportation project in over two decades by leveraging federal funds and using SPLOST funds as the required match. The project will widen Lee Road from I-20 to Fairburn Road from 2 to 4 lanes, and include a 20-foot median. Sidewalks and a multi-use trail will also be added. This project is expected to serve over 20,000 daily riders, significantly reduce delays and crashes along the corridor, and feature sidewalks, multi-use trail, pedestrian and bicycle-friendly components. The project is currently in progress, with an anticipated completion in 2025.

Overview

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