Photo Credit: Lee Becker

When Oconee County voters go to the polls for the Nov. 4 election, they will be asked to vote "yes" or "no" on a 1 percent sales tax that, according to the ballot language, is expected raise $55.6 million over the six-year life of the tax.

Voters also will be presented with list of projects to be funded, including water and sewer infrastructure, roads, farmland protection, libraries and parks and recreational facilities.

An analysis of collections from the current 1 percent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax shows that the county will have to experience strong growth rates to realize that $55.6 million goal.

The county’s revenues from the current SPLOST have fallen far short of the projected $40.4 million.

Because of that shortfall, the Board of Commissioners this year decided to reallocate revenue from one spending category to another within the list of categories approved by voters in 2009.

If the commissioners follow that same policy for the new SPLOST, it could mean that the categories listed on the ballot in November are only an indication of the types of spending that will be done, not the amounts per category.

Continue reading at Oconee County Observations.