Officials: Economic Future Depends on TSPLOST

The road to stronger businesses and more jobs in Georgia could depend on voters approving a sales tax this summer.

That was the theme of the April 17 Cobb EMC Power Breakfast held at Paisano’s in Dallas. The event, put on by the Paulding County Chamber of Commerce, centered on the Transportation Investment Act referendum. Speaking at the breakfast were Jason O’Rourke, political director for Connect Georgia, and Paulding County Department of Transportation Director Scott Greene.

“We’re running out of gas—we just don’t have the funding necessary on the state level and from the federal sources to continue to build roads like we used to,” said O’Rourke, whose presentation focused on the money needed to fix the state’s transportation problems and the jobs impact more transportation funding could have.

Voters during the July 31 primary election will consider approving the proposed Transportation Investment Act referendum—a 10-year, 1-percent sales tax. According to Paulding County officials, approval by the voters would lead to regional funding $164 million in funding for Paulding County projects, as well as up to $43 million aimed at funding local projects in Paulding and the cities of Dallas, Hiram and Braswell.

“We’re looking at $10 to $20 per month per household to move transportation 10 years forward,” Greene said. “I think we’ll see that paid back many-fold if we’re able to get this program moving; otherwise we’re going to be hard pressed to give our business community any certainty on any project for the next 10 to 15 years.

Greene during his time on the microphone highlighted several projects that will impact Paulding roads if the referendum is approved by the voters.

Learn more about this proposed sales tax and its potential impact on the state and the county in the attached videos and documents.