Referendums approved on mayoral vote, new arena sales tax. When do Augustans vote?
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CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported on when Augustans will decide on the mayoral vote referendum. The vote will take place during the General Primary in 2024. The story has been updated.
Augustans have some big decisions to make in the next year.
In this past week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed new legislation calling on Augusta voters to determine if the mayor should get an equal vote to city commissioners and to approve a special sales tax to fund a new James Brown Arena.
Richmond County Board of Elections Executive Director Travis Doss confirmed that the earliest date for the new tax referendum is during the Nov. 7 election while the mayoral referendum will take place during the 2024 general primary, which is tentatively planned for May 21, pending any law changes that would affect the date. Both issues will be listed on the ballot with voters choosing "Yes" or "No" on the respective topics.
Mayoral Vote: A bill that could give the Augusta mayor a vote on commission signed
Arena Sales Tax: Kemp helps create path for new James Brown Arena funding during Augusta visit
Senate Bill 231 calls for the mayoral vote. Currently, Augusta's mayor is only allowed to break ties. Mayor Garnett Johnson detailed in February that he would not seek to be a voting member of committees and this is not a power grab.
"The system that we have, sometimes, it just does not work when it relates to actually being able to get things done," he said.
House Bill 230 calls for the arena tax vote. The bill asks voters to support a sales tax of up to 0.5% for up to five years for the purpose of funding "coliseum capital outlay projects and project costs" and not to exceed the project's guaranteed maximum price. If approved, the tax would only fund up to the amount needed to finance the project. The bill does not allow the tax to be renewed under any circumstances and limits the principal amount of general obligation bonds issued to up to $250 million.
Augusta-Richmond County Coliseum Authority Chairman Cedric Johnson said they will be educating voters on the tax ahead of the November vote.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta referendums on mayor vote, James Brown Arena tax election date
