Monroe County voters will decide in a referendum on the general election ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 3 whether to levy an additional one-cent Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) for the purpose of resurfacing more than 100 county roads.
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.
Below are some questions and answers to help voters understand the TSPLOST:
Q.) Why does the county need additional sales tax revenue for transportation purposes?
A.) The Monroe County Road Department maintains about 466 miles of county roads (not including just under 43 miles of City of Forsyth roads and just over 155 miles of state-owned roads) on an annual budget of about $1.4 million, which includes salaries for 22 employees. In addition to its annual budget, the county typically receives just over a half million dollars annually in Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) funds from the Georgia Department of Transportation. The county has also designated just under $4.4 million in its six-year Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), approved in 2018, for road improvements.
However, the cost of paving a single mile of county road is estimated at $125,000 per mile (although Monroe County Road Superintendent Junior Watts said it could be as much as $160,000 per mile). Using the $125,000 estimate, it would take just over $58 million in order to pave every county-owned road in Monroe County, meaning that it would take decades to do so without the passage of the TSPLOST.
The TSPLOST is projected to generate about $14.1 million for Monroe County (not to mention about $2.6 million for Forsyth and about $305,000 for Culloden). Using the same per-mile estimate, Monroe County could pave just over 113 miles of county roadway over the next five years and when added to the county’s anticipated LMIG and SPLOST revenues, it would mean nearly all of the estimated 196 miles of county roads most in need of repair could be resurfaced.
Q.) Why should I vote to support a TSPLOST in November? Hasn’t it already failed three times before?
A.) It is true that the TSPLOST was rejected in Monroe County in 2012, 2017 and 2019, but the first two situations were not at all similar to the situation faced in 2020. In both 2012 and 2017, Monroe County voters were asked to consider a regional TSPLOST that included projects that would benefit all of Middle Georgia’s counties. In fact, even if Monroe County voters had rejected the 2012 or 2017 TSPLOST, they still would have passed if more than 50 percent of Middle Georgia voters had voted to support them (neither passed in Monroe County nor regionally). Monroe County-related projects proposed in those TSPLOST efforts included roundabouts, a truck bypass, a downtown underpass, and a bridge replacement, not the paving of county roads.
However, in 2015, three years after the 2012 TSPLOST was passed in only 3 of 12 Georgia regions, the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill allowing for a single county TSPLOST for counties not part of a regional effort. Since its passage, 26 Georgia counties have approved a single county TSPLOST. In 2019, Monroe County voters were asked to decide on a single county TSPLOST for the first time, and the measure narrowly failed by a 52% (No) to 48% (Yes) margin. But a possible determining factor was that the 2019 referendum was up for vote during an off-year election in which no other county races were decided upon. Therefore, only 2,180 voters (or about 10 percent of the county’s voter roll) cast ballots in the referendum. With county road paving falling even further behind over the past year, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners decided to allow Monroe County voters to decide once again this November whether to impose a penny tax with the expectation that a higher percentage of the county’s voter population will weigh in this time.
Q.) What if I don’t want to pay an extra penny in sales tax? Can’t the county find an alternative way to generate the needed revenue?
A.) With many county roads needing immediate resurfacing due to safety concerns, the county would have to find a way to pay for some roads to be resurfaced even if the TSPLOST fails. The only viable alternative option the county has to generate additional revenue is to hike its annual millage rate, resulting in an increase in property taxes for Monroe County residents. Monroe County Commissioners have estimated that it would take an annual millage increase of about 2.3 mills in order to generate the same amount of revenue over five years that a TSPLOST would bring in. That means that property taxes on a Monroe County home valued at $200,000 would go up about $156 per year.
In contrast, should the TSPLOST pass, Monroe Countians who spend about $150 per week on consumer goods ($7,800 per year) would only pay $78 more annually thanks to the one cent sales tax increase, a savings of $78 annually as compared with an equivalent property tax hike. The reason for this discrepancy is that a recent Lowndes County study estimates that 52 percent of sales tax revenue is paid by persons who live outside of the county. With busy I-75 running directly through Monroe County, out-of-town travelers would pay about half of the sales tax rather than the full burden being placed on Monroe County landowners.
In addition, should Monroe County Commissioners also use TSPLOST funds to pay off the county’s required portion of the matching LMIG grant, a measure the Board has already agreed to take, it could potentially result in a quarter-mill decrease in property taxes. This equates to a $17 property tax deduction on a $200,000 home, meaning that when combined with the $78 in annual savings due to the out-of-town travelers paying half of the sales tax, a Monroe County homeowner could only see an overall tax hike of $61 as compared with $156 if property taxes alone paid for additional road resurfacing.
Q.) Is my road on the list of roads to be resurfaced?
A.) A total of 139 county roads are slated to be resurfaced should the TSPLOST pass. Roads to be resurfaced by district include:
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
Q.) Is this list firm? My road needs attention more than some of the roads listed but is not on the list.
A.) The list is a guide and budgeting tool required by the state to inform voters exactly what roads Monroe County leaders have identified and at what cost. Monroe County Commissioners’ goal as good stewards of county money is to competitively bid each project, identify certain areas of listed roads that may be fine without a complete repaving, and purge from the list any roads that citizens living there do not want paved. This allows us to preserve excess funds to cover emergency repairs or move to a more needed area. The list identifies the length of the portion of the road to be resurfaced and the estimated cost of resurfacing that portion.
