Fannin County and the cities of Blue Ridge and McCaysville are estimated to receive $56 million over six years if voters approve extending the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) in the March 21 Special Election.
A “yes” vote will keep the tax, which collects one cent on every dollar, in place that was first passed in 1995.
No matter the actual dollar amount generated by the tax, 86.4% of the money will go to the county, Blue Ridge will receive 7.5%, and McCaysville will get 6.1%, which is the split agreed to by officials of the three governments. Those percentages and how the dollars they generate would be spent by each government were outlined in the official call for the election, issued last week by Board of Registrations and Elections Chairwoman Sonia Smith.
The News Observer used the estimated $56 million dollars the tax would generate and applied the percentages spelled out in the election notice to give Fannin County citizens an estimate of the dollar amounts involved.
Fannin County would receive an estimated $48,384,000, Blue Ridge an estimated $4,200,000, and McCaysville an estimated $3,416,000.
Broken down by percentage of their expected share, here is how government intends to spend the money:
FANNIN COUNTY
•55% ($30,800,000) to maintenance, repair and construction of roads, streets, bridges and sidewalks, and public works equipment;
•7% ($3,920,000) to water projects county wide;
•9% ($5,040,000) for capital outlay/parking;
•6.9% ($3,864,000) to recreation equipment/facilities; and,
•8.5% ($4,760.000) to public safety facilities/public service equipment;
BLUE RIDGE
•5.36% ($3,001,600) for maintenance, repair and construction of roads, drainage and sidewalks;
•1.79% ($1,002,400) to water and sewer upgrades and capital outlay;
•.35% ($196,000) to recreation facilities and improvements; and,
CITY OF McCAYSVILLE
•2.5% ($1,400,000) capital outlay for roads, streets, bridges and city park, including, but not limited to construction, repair, maintenance, and equipment for the same, which purposes may include sidewalks and bicycle paths;
•2.1% ($1,176,000) capital outlay water and sewer, utility equipment and facilities; and,
•1.5% ($840,000) to public safety facilities and public safety equipment.
Officials of all three governments have encouraged citizens to approve extending the SPLOST, citing its financial impact.