Commissioners support proposed law to allow voters to cancel SPLOST projects

House Bill 240, which was recently introduced in the Georgia House of Representatives by Rep. Jay Powell of Camilla, is being supported by the Grady County Commission.
The proposed new law would allow for referendums to be held that would allow voters to cancel projects previously approved in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendums, but have become too expensive to undertake or complete.
The bill has the support of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and on Tuesday night it picked up the support of the Grady County Commission.
“I think we need to send a letter to the members of our legislative delegation and express our support for HB240,” Commissioner Al Ball said Tuesday night.
Ball’s motion was seconded by Commissioner T.D. David and the board, with the exception of Chairman Charles Norton who was ill, voted unanimously to send the legislators a letter of support for the proposed new law.
Commissioners have heard opposition to the construction of an aquatic center at Barber Park since voters approved it in the most recent SPLOST referendum.
The project has been on hold as the county collects sufficient sales tax proceeds to finance the construction of the pool, but county leaders have said, in their opinion, if the people voted today the pool would be defeated.
County Administrator Rusty Moye pointed out the proposed new law could impact both current and future SPLOST projects.