know whether they will be going to the polls in November to approve a

special purpose local option sales tax to build more than $400 million

worth of transportation projects in the county over the next two decades.

During last week's meeting

of the Association of Fayette County Governments, the county's leaders

addressed a variety of issues from electing new officers to golf cart

regulations.

But the issue that was bandied

around the most was funding the county's ambitious transportation

plan. Late last year, the county unveiled a transportation plan enumerating

nearly $400 million in projects to keep the traffic snarls at a minimum

over the next 20 years.

Included in the plan is 20

intersection or traffic signal improvements, 28 road upgrades, 10 bridge

projects and seven street beautification projects.

County Commissioner Herb Frady

explained the commission was planning to discuss the idea of calling for

a SPLOST at its Jan. 29 retreat, and said the county would need all the

cities' help in getting the measure passed.

He said it's estimated

the one penny sales tax would generate nearly $121 million a year in revenue,

and would allow those who live outside the county but shop here to pay

for transportation upgrades.

"Just go out to the Pavilion

and look at the license plates out there," he said.

Another wrinkle in the vote

could be the addition of adding construction of a senior center to the

proposal.

Commissioner A.G. VanLandingham

said the center is more than $1 million short of the estimated $3.2 million

it will take to build the new facility.

"Those folks have worked

too hard out there to continue to wait," he said.

The county has already acquired

a site near the judicial complex for the center, and much of the engineering

work has already been completed, he added.

Peachtree City Mayor Steve

Brown urged the county to be very careful about how they worded a possible

SPLOST resolution.

"I'd like to see

a proposal. I'm not sure you want to muddy it up by adding other

things to it," he said.

But Fayette County Board of

Education member Janet Smola heartily endorsed the idea of adding the

senior center to the transportation projects' SPLOST.

"We need to make the SPLOST

something for everyone," she said.

Another factor that could cause

dissent among the voters is the Fayette County Board of Education is also

looking at a proposal to ask voters for money for new construction projects.

(See related story.)

Frady said he should have many

questions answered by the time the group's next meeting occurs April

13 in Tyrone.

In other business, the leaders:

- Elected new officers

for the organization. Fayetteville City Councilman Larry Dell is chairman

this year, while Janet Smola is vice chairman and Brown is secretary-treasurer.

- Heard Brown discuss

an effort to coordinate golf cart path ordinances among Peachtree City,

Fayette County and Tyrone. The other members of the group urged Brown

to work with Fayette County and Tyrone in ironing out the details.

Back

to News Home Page |