Big tax vote will be held March 6

Grady County voters will be asked on March 6, 2012 to vote to renew the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax , which will collect approximately $18 million over the six year life of the tax.
The Grady County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to call for the election on March 6, which is the date selected by the Georgia secretary of state for the Presidential Preference Primary in Georgia.
Grady County and the cities of Cairo and Whigham will split the proceeds based on population if the voters approve the renewal of the penny sales tax.
The county is expected to collect $10,746,000 over the life of the tax and commissioners will invest the proceeds in roads and bridges, new public safety equipment as well as to retire previously incurred debt.
The city of Cairo’s share is projected to be $6,912,000 and the Cairo city council has identified streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutter improvements as well as drinking water capital improvements, waste water treatment capital improvements, new public safety and public works equipment.
The city of Whigham is in the process of challenging the 2010 U.S. Census count of its population, but as it currently stands the city should collect approximately $342,000. The Whigham mayor and council will invest the collections in streets and sidewalks as well as upgrades to the city’s utilities distribution infrastructure.
The current additional penny sales tax expires March 31, 2014, and local leaders want to make sure there is a seamless collection of the tax. If approved, the new tax will not begin to be collected until April 1, 2014, and the tax will expire on March 31, 2020, unless voters renew it at that time.