The time for Coweta County residents to have their say on their choice in the Presidential Preference Primary is almost here. Voters on March 6 will also determine if they want to extend the county’s current 1-cent sales tax (SPLOST). Up for a six-year continuation, the initiative carries a maximum collection ceiling totaling $120 million.
If approved by voters, the funds raised would be distributed based essentially on the 2010 census, with the county receiving 67.89 percent, Newnan receiving 25.95 percent, Senoia receiving 2.6 percent, Grantville receiving 2.39 percent and Moreland at .31 percent, Sharpsburg at .27 percent, Palmetto at .24 percent, Turin at .22 percent and Haralson at .13 percent.
The revenues collected would raise up to $120 million for a variety of recreation, public safety, information technology and road improvement projects in the county’s municipalities and unincorporated areas.
A breakdown of the maximum collections shows Coweta County receiving $81.468 million, Newnan receiving $31.14 million, Senoia receiving $3.12 million, Grantville receiving $2.868 million, Palmetto at $422,000, Moreland at $506,000, Sharpsburg at $376,000, Turin at $310,000 and Haralson at $203,000.
The county’s project list included transportation and parks and recreation initiatives along with proposals by the sheriff’s office, fire department and emergency management. By far the largest bulk of sales tax revenues would be used for road, street and bridge projects.
Senoia’s list included $1.25 million for transportation improvements to roads, streets, bridges and sidewalks, $1.25 million for parks and recreation, $300,000 for public works, $200,000 for an early warning siren system and $120,000 for city hall improvements.
Newnan’s proposed projects included information technology, cultural needs, public safety, public works, parks and recreation and road, streets, bridges and sidewalks.
Sharpsburg’s project list showed needs that included road, streets and bridges, utilities and cultural, historic and recreational needs.
Projects for Palmetto included public safety, water and sewer and roads, streets and bridges.
Proposed projects for Moreland included the cemetery, roads, streets and bridges, parks and recreation, the Old Mill/Town Hall and museum and cultural needs.
Projects for Turin included public safety, water, stormwater, cable, wastewater, sidewalks and paths, streets, roads and bridges, parks and recreation and work at city hall.
And in Haralson the project list included parks and recreation needs.
The March 6 vote should not be confused with the 10-county Regional Transportation SPLOST that will go before voters in July.
