The Lamar County commission is considering adding another one percent local option sales tax which would raise the local sales tax rate to eight percent. If approved by voters, the money would be earmarked for road improvements and other transportation projects. Sixty-four of Georgia’s 159 counties currently have such sales taxes in place. They are known as transportation SPLOSTs (TSPLOSTs). Some are regional but many are single county taxes as proposed here. The county is proceeding with plans to include a referendum on the matter on the November general election ballot. Upson County collects TSPLOST funds and Spalding County is placing it on the ballot this year. At the regular commission meeting June 15, chairman Charles Glass said the tax could bring in $10 million over its five-year lifespan. ’This would allow us to triple our capacity to pave and resurface roads in the county. We could make some sorely needed improvements,’ Glass said. The basic state sales tax is four percent and state law caps the sales tax rate at eight percent. Lamar currently collects one percent in local option sales tax which goes into the general fund. Another one percent is collected in special local option sales tax which goes toward projects approved by voters. The school board also collects one percent in educational special local option sales tax which is used for capital, construction and improvement projects. The ESPLOST was just extended by voters earlier this year. The existing sales taxes are currently bringing in record amounts of cash into the county and school board coffers due to population and economic growth.
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