One Cent Sales Tax of 1% to Come Before Voters
Jun 11 Cobb County’s Board of Commissioners anticipates bringing voters a referendum on a one-cent sales tax in September. Cobb County Government receives no sales tax dollars from the current 5% state sales tax. With a 1% sales tax, Cobb will have funding available for transportation and public safety projects similar to those funded in Georgia’s 158 other counties.
If approved, the estimated $825 million in additional funding would be collected using a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (1%) between January 2006 and December 2011. The money raised from the sales tax would be used to fund capital improvement projects around Cobb County and within each of the county’s six cities.
Cobb residents approved Local Sales Tax programs in 1985, 1990 and 1994. These programs provided $1.5 billion dollars in transportation improvements.
Capital improvement projects for transportation and public safety can be financed through local sales tax.
It is estimated that Cobb County residents will contribute only 52 cents of every dollar raised.
Specific projects allowed include:
· Roads, streets, bridges and sidewalks/paths which will provide congestion relief.
· Public safety projects benefiting the residents of the entire county including a jail, courthouse and an enhanced public safety communication system.
All of Cobb’s cities will receive a portion of the funds which will be allocated according to population figures in the 2000 Census.
Projected Sales Tax Collection over 6 years
$825,933,000
(Provides funding for) Public Safety
$192,000,000
Transportation
$633,933,000
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