Monroe County Commissioners approved by a 4-0 vote on Friday, June 19 an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Cities of Forsyth and Culloden to approve a project list for a scheduled November 3, 2020 referendum on whether to issue a single-county Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST).
If approved, the penny tax is expected to generate about $17 million over five years beginning on April 1, 2021. Of that $17 million, just over $14.1 million (83.2%) will be distributed to Monroe County, just under $2.6 million (15%) will be distributed to the City of Forsyth and just over $305,000 (1.8%) will be distributed to the City of Culloden.
Council members from the Cities of Forsyth and Culloden also approved the Intergovernmental Agreement at Friday’s special called joint meeting, which lasted just 10 minutes. District 3 Commissioner John Ambrose was absent from Friday’s meeting while District 4 Commissioner George Emami participated remotely via phone.
County Manager Jim Hedges said 88 of 159 Georgia counties currently have a TSPLOST. Of those 88, 62 have a regional TSPLOST, 25 have a single-county TSPLOST and one has both a regional and single-county TSPLOST.
Monroe Countians last voted on a TSPLOST in November 2019, narrowly rejecting the tax by a 1,128 (51.7 percent) to 1,052 (48.3 percent) margin. County Manager Hedges said county road mileage needing re-surfacing has increased since last fall from 152.49 miles to 196.62 miles, meaning the cost of completing proposed projects has gone up by about $5.5 million from about $19.1 million in 2019 to just under $24.6 million in 2020.
County Manager Hedges said even with the approval of a 2020 TSPLOST, the county would still be about $1 million short on its road resurfacing needs. County Manager Hedges’ projected five-year revenue total of about $23.5 million also includes $3.5 million in state Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) funds over five years, $1.5 million in the county’s 30 percent match to those state LMIG funds over five years, and about $4.4 million dedicated to road improvements in the county’s 2020 SPLOST over six years. Commissioners have also proposed using TSPLOST revenues to pay off the $1.5 million LMIG match while reducing property taxes by about a quarter mill annually.
District 2 Commissioner Eddie Rowland said research indicates that due to the substantial number of out-of-county travelers stopping at local exits, Monroe Countians would be responsible for paying a much lower percentage of taxes associated with a proposed TSPLOST than they would pay if the county hiked property taxes to pay for road repairs. Commissioner Rowland said a study performed by Lowndes County estimated that 52 percent of sales tax revenue is paid by persons who live outside the county. Commissioner Rowland said if the TSPLOST fails and Commissioners are ever eventually forced to raise property taxes to pay for road repairs, it would result in an annual tax hike of about 2.3 mills, which equates to an additional $156 in property taxes on a home valued at $200,000. In contrast, should the TSPLOST pass, Commissioner Rowland projected Monroe Countians who spend $150 weekly on consumer goods would only pay $78 more annually thanks to the one cent sales tax increase. Should commissioners also use TSPLOST funds to pay off the LMIG match, it would result in a quarter-mill decrease in property taxes equating to $17 on a $200,000 home, meaning that homeowner would only see an overall annual tax hike of $61, an annual savings of $95.
Monroe County Commissioners are expected to vote on Tuesday, July 21 to call for a Nov. 3 TSPLOST referendum.
Forsyth City Manager Janice Hall said the proposed city TSPLOST project is a 1.5-mile sidewalk extension on Johnston Street, including on Country Club Drive all the way to the city park. Culloden Mayor Lynn Miller said its $305,000 will go primarily toward road shoulder repair.
Meanwhile, these Monroe County roads are slated to be resurfaced should voters approve the proposed 2020 Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST):
List includes road name, length of road portion to be resurfaced by mile and estimated cost of resurfacing.
District 1
Lakeside Drive – 0.15 miles – $18,750
Shoneys Road – 0.1 miles – $12,500
Town Creek Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Washington Drive – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Willingham Pond Drive – 0.2 miles – $25,000
District 2
Broken Arrow Trail – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Dyas School Road – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Flint Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Hamill Drive – 0.13 miles – $16,250
Hardage Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Joe Chambers Road – 2.5 miles – $312,500
Josey Road – 2.69 miles – $336,250
Lindsey Road – 2.99 miles – $373,750
Lower Thomaston Road – 0.42 miles – $52,500
Montpelier Church Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Montpelier Station Road – 1.12 miles – $140,000
Old Brent Road – 1.5 miles – $187,500
Old Zebulon Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Renouf Road – 1.84 miles – $230,000
Shi Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Wrights Grove Church Road – 0.1 miles – $12,500
Bagley Road – 2.5 miles – $312,500
Billy Harris Road – 1.79 miles — $223,750
Buckhead Lane – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Bunn Road – 1.65 miles – $206,250
Charles Johnson Road – 2 miles — $250,000
Circle Street – 0.35 miles – $43,750
Collins Ridge Drive – 0.6 miles – $75,000
Davis Road – 2.06 miles – $257,500
Debra Drive – 1 mile – $125,000
Gibson Road – 0.8 miles – $100,000
Jackson-Lindsey Road – 2.35 miles – $293,750
Montpelier Springs Road – 0.75 miles – $93,750
Music Row – 0.2 miles — $25,000
Old Macon Road – 4.46 miles – $557,500
Peebles Drive – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Reedy Creek Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Strouds Road – 1 mile — $125,000
Tharpe Road – 2.48 miles – $310,000
Treadwell Road – 4 miles – $500,000
Wood Valley Lane – 0.1 miles – $12,500
Woodward Road – 0.46 miles – $57,500
Yellow Creek Road – 0.25 miles – $31,250
District 3
Bolingreen Drive – 1 mile – $125,000
Bowdoin Road – 1.14 miles – $142,500
Camellia Drive – 0.18 miles – $22,500
Christian Road – 2.09 miles – $261,250
Country Creek Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Country Place – 0.12 miles – $15,000
Country Trail – 0.12 miles – $15,000
Deer Lake Drive – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Edge Road – 2.76 miles – $345,000
Estes Road – 5.23 miles – $653,750
Jenkins Road – 3.42 miles – $427,500
Jennings Lane – 1 mile – $125,000
John Paul Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Lancaster Court – 0.19 miles – $23,750
Loraine Forest Court – 0.08 miles – $10,000
Loraine Forest Drive – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Loraine Woods Court – 0.06 miles – $7,500
Loraine Woods Drive – 1 mile – $125,000
Loraine Woods Place – 0.06 miles – $7,500
Marvin Circle – 0.75 miles – $93,750
McCrackin Street – 2.45 miles – $306,250
Natures Trail – 1.5 miles – $187,500
Newton Road – 1.03 miles – $128,750
Pea Ridge Road Shortcut – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Quail Trail – 0.2 miles – $25,000
Sapphire Court – 0.13 miles – $16,250
Sapphire Drive – 0.39 miles – $48,750
Searcy Drive – 0.86 miles – $107,500
Searcy Place – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Sleepy Creek Road – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Spelman Road – 0.26 miles – $32,500
Trey Terrace – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Whittle Road – 1.29 miles – $161,250
Woods Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Carriage Drive – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Colebrook Drive – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Deer Creek Drive – 1 mile – $125,000
Faith Court – 0.06 miles – $7,500
Faith Drive – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Lee King Circle – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Old Popes Ferry Road – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Pate Road – 5.41 miles – $676,250
Popes Ferry Lane – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Popes Ferry Road – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Ridgecrest Road – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Sapphire Circle – 2.55 miles – $318,750
District 4
Big Buck Trail – 0.91 miles – $113,750
Boxankle Road – 2.5 miles – $312,500
Cherokee Trail – 0.7 miles – $87,500
Elbert Jackson Road – 1.25 miles – $156,250
Ham Road – 0.75 miles – $93,750
Hayes Drive – 0.13 miles – $16,250
Higgins Mill Road – 1.21 miles – $151,250
High Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Jeffrey Way – 0.747 miles – $93,375
Julie Lane – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Lakeshore Drive – 1.68 miles – $210,000
Lakeview Road – 0.12 miles – $15,000
Pine Lane Trail – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Pioneer Trail – 1 mile – $125,000
Talmadge Road – 0.66 miles – $82,500
Watson Road – 3.52 miles – $440,000
Anderson Road – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Blount Road Shortcut – 0.21 miles – $26,250
Blue Ridge School Road – 2.89 miles – $361,250
Brownlee Road – 2.01 miles – $251,250
Buck Creek Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Craig Road – 1.5 miles – $187,500
Dillard Road – 0.44 miles – $55,000
Drewery Company Drive – 0.25 miles – $31,250
Freeman Road – 5.57 miles – $696,250
Harper Lane – 0.5 miles – $62,500
High Falls Road – 6.34 miles – $792,500
Johnstonville Road – 5.8 miles – $725,000
Lassiter Road – 5 miles – $625,000
Logwall Church Road – 0.3 miles – $37,500
Mace Manor – 0.67 miles – $83,750
Martin Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Maynard Church Road – 2.55 miles – $318,750
Maynard Drive – 0.55 miles – $68,750
Oak Circle – 0.06 miles – $7,500
Old Cabaniss Road – 1.62 miles – $202,500
Old Juliette Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Roberts Farm Road – 1.99 miles – $248,750
Scofield Lane – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Springdale Road – 0.07 miles – $8,750
Stokes Store Road – 5 miles – $625,000
Timberline Road – 1 mile – $125,000
Tingle Road – 1.25 miles – $156,250
Tommys Trail – 0.69 miles – $86,250
Towaliga Lake Drive – 0.5 miles – $62,500
Unionville Road – 2 miles – $250,000
Shared
Montpelier Road – 5.2 miles – $650,000
Pea Ridge Road – 7.55 miles – $943,750
Juliette Road – 5 miles – $625,000
Ponder Trammell Road – 2 miles – $250,000
