Gwinnett Commission Votes to Put SPLOST Extension on Nov. 5 Ballot

Gwinnett commissioners on Tuesday  (Aug. 21) officially called for a Nov. 5 vote on renewing the one-cent SPLOST sales tax after the current program ends next March.

The county and all 16 Gwinnett cities agreed earlier this month to share the proceeds from the three-year sales tax extension. The new program will raise an estimated $498 million in total. Gwinnett County will receive 78.9 percent of the proceeds, and the cities in Gwinnett will receive 21.1 percent.

Buford would receive an estimated $5.9 million.

The county has determined that 70 percent of its share, or an estimated $275 million, will be dedicated to transportation projects such as roads, bridges, intersection improvements and sidewalks, including $25 million for joint city/county transportation projects. 

The proposed SPLOST program also includes funding for other purposes such as public safety, parks, library relocation and renovation and senior facilities.

A meeting has been set on Aug. 26 for residents interested in serving on a Citizens Project Selection Committee to review and prioritize prospective transportation project categories.

“Local government leaders agreed that transportation infrastructure is our biggest need and that everyone who uses our roads should help pay the cost of improvements,” said Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash.

More information is online at www.gwinnettcounty.com.