SPLOST Season: Chatham County begins push for eighth penny-sales-tax referendum this November
County Manager Michael Kaigler sent a letter to city managers at each of Chatham's municipalities requesting a meeting on March 31 to plan a SPLOST 8 referendum. The letter indicates the county is aiming to have SPLOST on the ballot for the Nov. 4 election.
Each of the county's municipalities will develop their own project list, which then are presented to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. The commissioners ultimately approve the final, county-wide list.
"I think this is my fourth SPLOST. It's delicate," said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson at a city council workshop on SPLOST planning. "It is where the administrative and the political come together. At the end of the day this has to be passed by the voters.
ESPLOST: All is quiet on the voting front: 5.81% of Savannah-Chatham County voters pass ESPLOST
SPLOST has had sweeping success in being approved by voters in Chatham County. The most recent SPLOST election, held in 2019 during other municipal elections such as city council, was approved with 67.58% of the vote.
Kaigler's letter outlined key dates for new SPLOST planning.
Municipalities are scheduled to provide approved-project lists to the county on May 23. The county is scheduled to approve its list and an intergovernmental agreement with municipalities on June 13, according to the letter's timeline.
"The county sets the timeline for the vote and the referendum, and we understand it's a short timeline but we feel we'll be able to get the information (council) needs to have this discussion," said Savannah City Manager Jay Melder at the council workshop."
The SPLOST is a penny sales tax devoted to capital projects around the county. Since the county's first SPLOST in 1985, the penny tax has pulled over $1.5 billion in revenue. As a sales tax, about 40% of the revenues are paid for by visitors.
Key projects supported by SPLOST over the years include Enmarket Arena and Memorial Stadium. But the tax has also been critical in funding infrastructure such as roads or drainage, including improvements to Savannah's Springfield Canal.
The SPLOST 8 process kicks off just a week after county voters approved an extended Education Special Local Option Sales Tax referendum. The ESPLOST is a penny sales tax funding education-related project. The March 18 vote was one day after St. Patrick's Day-- the day the county sent its letter to municipalities.
The ESPLOST referendum was approved with 64% of the vote.
Evan Lasseter is the city of Savannah and Chatham County government reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at ELasseter@savannahnow.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah region begins planning on next SPLOST referendum
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
‘This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC
'This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC Savannah Mayor Van Johnson joins other Black mayors criticizing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard in Washington, DC. 01:27 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 12 videos 'This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC Savannah Mayor Van Johnson joins other Black mayors criticizing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard in Washington, DC. 01:27 - Source: CNN Abby Phillip responds to Jillian Michaels' false claims on slavery CNN's Abby Phillip responds to fitness expert Jillian Michaels' claims that President Donald Trump is not "whitewashing" slavery by attacking exhibits at the Smithsonian museums that he says focus too much on the subject. 02:23 - Source: CNN Trump refers to himself as a 'war hero' when calling Netanyahu one During an interview on 'The Mark Levin Show,' President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a 'war hero' and said he is one too after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year. Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss. 01:02 - Source: CNN Will Epstein files becoming public give us any new details? The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform intends to make public some files it subpoenaed related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, though it will first redact them to shield victims' IDs and other sensitive matters. 01:51 - Source: CNN Texas Democrats return as GOP pushes ahead with redistricting Texas Democrats returned to Austin to cheers and applause after a 15-day protest against the GOP's new congressional maps, which could give the Republicans an additional five US house seats. 01:14 - Source: CNN Why a confirmed date for a Putin-Zelensky meeting is so critical While the White House insists President Donald Trump wants to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible, President Vladimir Putin has not committed to a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. CNN Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes breaks down why setting an exact date is critical. 01:12 - Source: CNN Texas Democrat spends night on House floor Rep. Nicole Collier (D-TX) spent the night on the Texas House floor in protest after refusing a Republican demand to be placed under the watch of the state Department of Public Safety. CNN's Arlette Saenz reports. 01:19 - Source: CNN Russian media reacts positively to Trump-Putin Summit Russian state TV gave a positive coverage of the outcome of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, celebrating the handshake between the two leaders. Russian officials also stated that the meeting resulted in progress on sanctions and opened up room for future negotiations. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports. 01:23 - Source: CNN Protesters condemn 'no deal' outcome of Trump-Putin talks Protesters in Alaska said they're not surprised that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't reach a deal on the war in Ukraine. 01:08 - Source: CNN Putin makes faces as journalists ask about Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond to reporters' questions about the war in Ukraine as his meeting with President Donald Trump and top aides was set to begin. Putin appeared to make a confused expression as multiple journalists began shouting questions. 00:13 - Source: CNN DC attorney general sues Trump admin. over police takeover DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its moves to take over the city's police department and appoint an emergency commissioner. Schwalb spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown about the lawsuit. 00:58 - Source: CNN Lavrov appears to wear CCCP sweater Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Alaska wearing a sweater that appears to say "CCCP." In a reference to the Soviet Union, CNN's Max Foster looks at what this look could mean ahead of President Trump and Putin's summit. 00:47 - Source: CNN
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
‘This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC
'This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC Savannah Mayor Van Johnson joins other Black mayors criticizing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard in Washington, DC. 01:27 - Source: CNN Vertical Politics of the Day 12 videos 'This is absolutely overreach': Black mayors criticize Trump's troop deployment in DC Savannah Mayor Van Johnson joins other Black mayors criticizing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard in Washington, DC. 01:27 - Source: CNN Abby Phillip responds to Jillian Michaels' false claims on slavery CNN's Abby Phillip responds to fitness expert Jillian Michaels' claims that President Donald Trump is not "whitewashing" slavery by attacking exhibits at the Smithsonian museums that he says focus too much on the subject. 02:23 - Source: CNN Trump refers to himself as a 'war hero' when calling Netanyahu one During an interview on 'The Mark Levin Show,' President Donald Trump called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a 'war hero' and said he is one too after US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites earlier this year. Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger joins CNN's Erin Burnett to discuss. 01:02 - Source: CNN Will Epstein files becoming public give us any new details? The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform intends to make public some files it subpoenaed related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, though it will first redact them to shield victims' IDs and other sensitive matters. 01:51 - Source: CNN Texas Democrats return as GOP pushes ahead with redistricting Texas Democrats returned to Austin to cheers and applause after a 15-day protest against the GOP's new congressional maps, which could give the Republicans an additional five US house seats. 01:14 - Source: CNN Why a confirmed date for a Putin-Zelensky meeting is so critical While the White House insists President Donald Trump wants to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine as soon as possible, President Vladimir Putin has not committed to a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky. CNN Senior White House Correspondent Kristen Holmes breaks down why setting an exact date is critical. 01:12 - Source: CNN Texas Democrat spends night on House floor Rep. Nicole Collier (D-TX) spent the night on the Texas House floor in protest after refusing a Republican demand to be placed under the watch of the state Department of Public Safety. CNN's Arlette Saenz reports. 01:19 - Source: CNN Russian media reacts positively to Trump-Putin Summit Russian state TV gave a positive coverage of the outcome of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, celebrating the handshake between the two leaders. Russian officials also stated that the meeting resulted in progress on sanctions and opened up room for future negotiations. CNN's Fred Pleitgen reports. 01:23 - Source: CNN Protesters condemn 'no deal' outcome of Trump-Putin talks Protesters in Alaska said they're not surprised that President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't reach a deal on the war in Ukraine. 01:08 - Source: CNN Putin makes faces as journalists ask about Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin did not respond to reporters' questions about the war in Ukraine as his meeting with President Donald Trump and top aides was set to begin. Putin appeared to make a confused expression as multiple journalists began shouting questions. 00:13 - Source: CNN DC attorney general sues Trump admin. over police takeover DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its moves to take over the city's police department and appoint an emergency commissioner. Schwalb spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown about the lawsuit. 00:58 - Source: CNN Lavrov appears to wear CCCP sweater Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Alaska wearing a sweater that appears to say "CCCP." In a reference to the Soviet Union, CNN's Max Foster looks at what this look could mean ahead of President Trump and Putin's summit. 00:47 - Source: CNN
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Los Angeles Times
Black mayors of cities Trump decries as ‘lawless' tout significant declines in violent crimes
As President Trump declared Washington, D.C., a crime-ridden wasteland in need of federal intervention last week and threatened similar actions in other Black-led cities, several mayors compared notes. The president's characterization of their cities contradicts what they began noticing last year: that they were seeing a drop in violent crime after a pandemic-era spike. In some cases the declines were monumental, due in large part to more youth engagement, gun buyback programs and community partnerships. Now members of the African American Mayors Assn. are determined to stop Trump from burying accomplishments that they already believed were overlooked. And they're using the administration's unprecedented law enforcement takeover in the nation's capital as an opportunity to disprove his narrative about some of the country's greatest urban enclaves. 'It gives us an opportunity to say we need to amplify our voices to confront the rhetoric that crime is just running rampant around major U.S. cities. It's just not true,' said Van Johnson, mayor of Savannah, Ga., and president of the African American Mayors Assn. 'It's not supported by any evidence or statistics whatsoever.' Trump has deployed the first of 800 National Guard members to the nation's capital, and at his request, the Republican governors of three states pledged hundreds more Saturday. West Virginia said it was sending 300 to 400 Guard troops, South Carolina pledged 200, and Ohio said it would send 150 in the coming days, marking a significant escalation of the federal intervention. Beyond Washington, the Republican president is setting his sights on other cities including Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland, calling them crime-ridden and 'horribly run.' One thing they all have in common: They're led by Black mayors. 'It was not lost on any member of our organization that the mayors either were Black or perceived to be Democrats,' Johnson said. 'And that's unfortunate. For mayors, we play with whoever's on the field.' The federal government's actions have heightened some of the mayors' desires to champion the strategies used to help make their cities safer. Trump argued that federal law enforcement had to step in after a prominent employee of his White House advisory team known as the Department of Government Efficiency was attacked in an attempted carjacking. He also pointed to homeless encampments, graffiti and potholes as evidence of Washington 'getting worse.' But statistics published by Washington's Metropolitan Police contradict the president and show violent crime has dropped there since a post-pandemic-emergency peak in 2023. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson scoffed at Trump's remarks, hailing the city's 'historic progress driving down homicides by more than 30% and shootings by almost 40% in the last year alone.' Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles, where homicides fell 14% from 2023 to 2024, called the federal takeover in District of Columbia a performative 'power grab.' In Baltimore, officials say they have seen historic decreases in homicides and nonfatal shootings this year, and those have been on the decline since 2022, according to the city's public safety data dashboard. Carjackings were down 20% in 2023, and other major crimes fell in 2024. Only burglaries have climbed slightly. The lower crime rates are attributed to tackling violence with a 'public health' approach, city officials say. In 2021, under Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore created a Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan that called for more investment in community violence intervention, more services for crime victims and other initiatives. Scott accused Trump of exploiting crime as a 'wedge issue and dog whistle' rather than caring about curbing violence. 'He has actively undermined efforts that are making a difference saving lives in cities across the country in favor of militarized policing of Black communities,' Scott said via email. The Democratic mayor pointed out that the Justice Department has slashed more than $1 million in funding this year that would have gone toward community anti-violence measures. He vowed to keep on making headway regardless. 'We will continue to closely work with our regional federal law enforcement agencies, who have been great partners, and will do everything in our power to continue the progress despite the roadblocks this administration attempts to implement,' Scott said. Oakland officials this month touted significant decreases in crime in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2024, including a 21% drop in homicides and a 29% decrease in all violent crime, according to the midyear report by the Major Cities Chiefs Assn. Officials credited collaborations with community organizations and crisis response services through the city's Department of Violence Prevention, established in 2017. 'These results show that we're on the right track,' Mayor Barbara Lee said at a news conference. 'We're going to keep building on this progress with the same comprehensive approach that got us here.' After the president gave his assessment of Oakland last week, Lee, a steadfast Trump antagonist during her years in Congress, rejected it as 'fearmongering.' Social justice advocates agree that crime has gone down and say Trump is perpetuating exaggerated perceptions that have long plagued Oakland. Nicole Lee, executive director of Urban Peace Movement, an Oakland-based organization that focuses on empowering communities of color and young people through initiatives such as leadership training and assistance to victims of gun violence, said much credit for the gains on lower crime rates is due to community groups. 'We really want to acknowledge all of the hard work that our network of community partners and community organizations have been doing over the past couple of years coming out of the pandemic to really create real community safety,' Lee said. 'The things we are doing are working.' She worries that an intervention by military troops would undermine that progress. 'It creates kind of an environment of fear in our community,' she said. In Washington, agents from multiple federal agencies, National Guard members and even the United States Park Police have been seen performing law enforcement duties including patrolling the National Mall and questioning people parked illegally. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the National Guard troops will not be armed, but he declined to elaborate on their assignments to safety patrols and beautification efforts. Savannah's Johnson said he is all for partnering with the federal government, but troops on city streets is not what he envisioned. Instead, he said, cities need federal assistance for things like multistate investigation and fighting problems such as gun trafficking and cybercrime. 'I'm a former law enforcement officer. There is a different skill set that is used for municipal law enforcement agencies than the military,' Johnson said. There has also been speculation that federal intervention could entail curfews for young people. But that would do more harm, Lee said, disproportionately affecting young people of color and wrongfully assuming that youths are the main instigators of violence. 'If you're a young person, basically you can be cited, criminalized, simply for being outside after certain hours,' she said. 'Not only does that not solve anything in regard to violence and crime, it puts young people in the crosshairs of the criminal justice system.' For now, Johnson said, the mayors are closely watching their counterpart in Washington, Muriel Bowser, to see how she navigates the unprecedented federal intervention. She has been walking a fine line between critiquing and cooperating since Trump's takeover, but things ramped up Friday when officials sued to block the administration's naming its Drug Enforcement Administration chief as an 'emergency' head of the police force. The administration soon backed away from that move. Johnson praised Bowser for carrying on with dignity and grace. 'Black mayors are resilient. We are intrinsically children of struggle,' Johnson said. 'We learn to adapt quickly, and I believe that we will and we are.' Tang writes for the Associated Press.
