Editorial: Now that the SPLOST list is set, elected officials must justify every project

Published 9:50 pm Monday, November 19, 2018

After months of talks, the new Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) list is complete with $100 million in projects.

Whitfield County and the four cities that would benefit from the SPLOST — Cohutta, Dalton, Tunnel Hill and Varnell — have all approved an intergovernmental agreement on how the money would be spent.

Now, it’s time for county and city officials to justify every project on that list.

Voters will decide the SPLOST’s fate on March 19, 2019. The 1 percent sales tax is applied to most goods bought in the county. If approved, the SPLOST would begin on July 1, 2019, and run for six years. There is currently a county-wide SPLOST that expires on June 30, 2019.

Whitfield County’s share of the proposed SPLOST is about $76 million, Dalton would get more than $21 million, Varnell nearly $1.2 million, Tunnel Hill about $577,000 and Cohutta around $445,000.

The SPLOST is a yes or no vote, meaning specific projects aren’t up for approval. It’s the entire list or nothing. And there are plenty of projects.

Whitfield County would use more than $33 million to demolish the Administration 1 and 2 buildings and build two new administration facilities, renovate the old section of the courthouse campus and jail, and renovate the Gillespie Drive gymnasium for accountability court use.

The SPLOST list also includes the costs for design and construction of southside park infrastructure and a community center, improvements at Edwards Park, Grant Farm improvements and design and construction of Westside Park athletic fields and a community center, totaling more than $18 million.

Dalton’s two biggest price tags are $7.81 million for streets, bridges and stormwater projects and $7.5 million to construct a new building for the John Davis Recreation Center, renovations to Heritage Park and Haig Mill trail connection.

The SPLOST is a substantial commitment for Whitfield County residents. If voters approve the sales tax, over six years $100 million will be pulled from the community. We note that out-of-towners would also pay the extra sales tax when they shop, dine or fill up their gas tank in Whitfield County.

That’s why city and county officials must sell the public on the necessity of every SPLOST project.

The SPLOST list is extremely vague. For example, the city of Tunnel Hill wants $477,166 for sidewalks, sewer improvements and expansion. What are the details? We believe the March SPLOST ballot will be similarly vague.

Voters will likely have myriad questions about the SPLOST projects.

What impact would the Haig Mill trail connection have on Dalton?

Can Whitfield County do without two new administration buildings?

What park improvements are necessary in Cohutta?

What are the exact sewer improvements Varnell wants to fund?

What police vehicles does Tunnel Hill need?

Our elected officials should detail to the public why each project is vital. Likewise, voters should demand this of their elected officials.