$109 million tax initiative for Albany, Dougherty County improvements to be on Nov. 8 ballot

Aug. 20—ALBANY — In 2016, the question of extending a 1% sales tax in Dougherty County was the last item on a lengthy ballot that included 24 other choices for voters, from the Trump v. Clinton presidential race to constitutional amendments and U.S. Senate and House races.

Despite its place at the bottom, only the presidential and U.S. House races and two constitutional amendments drew more attention from voters, with 32,622 weighing in on the special-purpose local-option sales tax question. The SPLOST passed with 70.71 percent of the vote as 23,622 voted "yes" on the question of extending the tax for six years and 9,555 cast a "no" vote.

By way of comparison, 34,018 voters cast ballots in the presidential race, which was at the top of the ballot, and only 28,042 votes were cast in a Public Service Commission contest.

On Nov. 8, the option of extending the tax for an additional six years will be on the ballot. As in 2016, voters have traditionally supported SPLOST initiatives, although a 2019 transportation-SPLOST was fairly close.

The largest share of the more than $100 million in anticipated collections, more than $30 million, would go toward the city of Albany's stormwater/sewage separation project.

Dougherty County projects include extensive renovations for the jail and courthouse building. And both governments included funding for the Albany Civil Rights Institute, Flint RiverQuarium, Chehaw Park and Zoo and Thronateeska Heritage Center.

The sales tax is limited to capital projects and cannot be used for general operating expenses.

The county's list also includes firetrucks and ambulances, and all of the projects and purchases would either get delayed or come out of property tax funds if not for the penny sales tax, Dougherty Commissioner Russell Gray said. And with Albany being a regional hub for shopping and entertainment, more than half of the proceeds of the SPLOST come from out-of-town visitors.

"Fifty-one percent comes out of the pockets of the people who come here and spend money here," Gray said. "It puts more value into our budget, and we can do more things. I think SPLOST is a very valuable tool."

The commission has proposed an increase of its millage rate for property tax purposes that would increase the tax on a $100,000 property by an estimated $30 per year, mostly to fund a pay increase for employees.

But without the sales tax, even more of a burden would fall on taxpayers, Gray said.

"The No. 1 issue facing the county right now is increasing the value of our tax base, because we can't tax our way out of our current situation," he said. "If we don't get the tax base growth like we'd like, SPLOST is a valuable addition."

The county included $1 million for the purchase of land for an industrial park on its list to help bring future growth — and tax dollars — to the community.

"Georgia-Pacific would not have come here if we had not had a site," Gray said, referring to the $150 million project that brought a company facility to Dougherty County. "The state of Georgia is wildly successful right now with economic development, bringing in a lot of projects. It's just a matter of having space to attract those site selectors when they are selecting a site and being ready when there's an opportunity. It also could help with the expansion of existing industries."

The money to improve the RiverQuarium, Chehaw and Civil Rights Institute also help bring in additional revenue, the commissioner said.

Those entities promote "our heritage, our place in the civil rights movement and really this unique landscape we have," Gray said.

The county also has leveraged SPLOST dollars, with a prime example being the improvements and trail at Radium Springs. The local investment paid off, as the project has brought in state and federal grants, including state money to renovate the Spring Run bridge and federal money for an amphitheater and conservation efforts.

"We've put amenities out there that are used quite a bit," Gray said. "I've been out there and met people from Japan who were on their way to Orlando."

The tax also funds projects that Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas recently referred to as "non-sexy" items that don't generate revenue, including the courthouse building and jail.

Fire protection enhancements and ambulances are other vital needs that, in the absence of the sales tax, would fall to property owners for funding.

"I would encourage everybody to vote in support of the SPLOST," Gray said. "It's a force multiplier because it's not all our money. It's other people's money. Fifty-two percent of our (SPLOST) budget is geared toward projects that help support services we provide to the county and city as well. Those upgrades are impossible without SPLOST money."

The Dougherty Commission approved the intergovernmental agreement that allowed the six-year extension, while the Albany City Commission's vote was 5-1-1, with Commissioner Jon Howard voting against and Commissioner Demetrius Young abstaining from the vote.

If the two governments had not reached an agreement, which in this case involved a few weeks of haggling, the tax could have been extended for only five years and collections would have been capped. The two sides agreed to a 36-74 split, with the city receiving the larger portion and an additional $3.5 million allocated to the stormwater/sewage separation project coming from the county.

The city is under a federal requirement to achieve 85% separation by June 2025, and the overall project is estimated to cost at least $105 million.

While the sewer project is vitally important, Howard said his opposition is based on the lack of funding for sidewalks.

"This is the first time since I've been on the board where we haven't had any money allocated for sidewalks, alley paving and speed bumps," Howard said. "I'm well aware we've got a mandate of 6-'25 (June of 2025) to have 85% completion."

Recent speed studies have identified six locations where a traffic-calming device is needed to slow down traffic on streets in Howard's Ward I, which is mostly located in east Albany.

"Now I'm having to tell people we don't have money to put down speed tables," he said. "People have been so thankful about the sidewalks that are being done over by Turner School. Everybody's telling me in the grocery stores that is the best thing y'all have ever done. I've gone by to look. I'm like a little child. I am so elated."

That project was included in the current SPLOST VII, he said, and a project for which he has been seeking funding to extend sidewalks from the East Broad Avenue overpass to Five Points has an estimated $3.5 million price tag.

"That's going to take years to do," he said. "I'm just going to continue to speak to my citizens and say we've got to find money to do it."