The Gainesville City Council (GCC) will consider a resolution throwing its support behind expansion of Georgia’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for municipalities when it meets Tuesday.
According to the proposed resolution, a 2022 capital needs assessment of Georgia’s cities by rhw Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) suggests that they have approximately $18 billion in capital projects over the next five years, with water/wastewater/stormwater, transportation and public safety being the primary investment needs.
The resolution says the Municipal Option Sales Tax or MOST would provide additional flexibility in delivering either property tax relief or infrastructure investments in cities “which are economic engines in counties across Georgia.”
If the resolution is adopted, the city council would be urging the Georgia General Assembly to pass legislation to expand the existing MOST law “so that all cities can access this revenue source, subject to the approval of each municipality’s voters.”
College Park, East Point, Hapeville, and Atlanta are among the Georgia cities that have already imposed the special tax, according to the state Department of Revenue.