Latest news with #SPLOST
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
County estimates nearly $700M in capital projects
CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – Chatham County officials estimate nearly $700 million dollars in capital projects, and they are hoping a new round of Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) funds will help cover the cost. County and city leaders are in the home stretch to make sure SPLOST VIII makes it onto the Nov. 4 ballot. WSAV spoke with commissioner Aaron Whitely about the process. 'Without a special local option sales tax, we would be depending solely on property taxes to fund this,' he said. 'So that's why you'll hear folks such as myself encouraging people to vote for SPLOST because it helps us keep our costs down.: The county has held several town halls about the funding, and he said top priorities he is hearing from the community is affordable housing, roadway repairs and drainage improvements. Several municipalities are also working together to finalize a list of projects they want to prioritize within this budget. 'So as far as some local projects, areas that are going to see that you'll see I think is Quacco Road and Little Neck Road might be somewhere, stormwater drainage, especially on the westside…' Whitely said. He continued, 'but from a county perspective, another one of our big focuses is getting our regional athletic facility done as it will serve as an economic stimulus for that area on the south side, as well as another space that is centrally located for recreation. Whitely also responded to residents who may be skeptical about voting yes in November. 'To my neighbors, you are already currently paying this one penny,' he said. 'All we're asking is to continue it so that we can continue to build our county for the growth that we are experiencing.' Commissioners will hold a workshop on June 18 at 4:30 p.m. to review the project list. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Chatham County Courthouse opens amid layout concerns
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — This morning, a new chapter begins for the Chatham County court system. After decades of planning and more than $80 million in SPLOST funding, the new courthouse officially opens its doors. This new courthouse behind me has been in the works for more than two called the Judge Eugene H. Gadsden Courthouse, and starting this morning, it will handle all state and superior court cases here in Chatham County. This project has been 25 years in the making. Sheriff Richard Coleman told us; deputies are in place and prepared to secure the building as hearings get underway. He also said law enforcement and court officials have worked together to make sure today's opening runs smoothly. However, some local attorneys have concerns about the courthouse's design and safety features. 'Private counsel and the public defender's office. We've always had to walk from outside into the courthouse. I've never in any of my divorce cases, transported two kilos of cocaine across the street, like the DA's office might, or a gun or any of that kind of stuff,' said Anthony Burton, an attorney in Savannah. The new building was funded through more than $80 million in SPLOST dollars. It should be noted that the old Coleman Courthouse will continue handling probate, magistrate, and recorder's court services. Several hearings are already on the docket Monday morning… including a high-profile homicide trial. WSAV will continue to follow how the first day unfolds and the concerns raised by attorneys are addressed in the coming weeks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Columbus pools set to open Summer 2025
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — After years of being shut down, three beloved Columbus pools are making a comeback, just in time for summer. Rigdon Park, Psalmond Road, and Shirley Winston pools all originally closed between 2015 and 2019 due to growing maintenance issues. Construction that began in 2023 is now nearly complete. Starting May 28, the pools will officially reopen, joining the Double Churches pool and the Columbus Aquatic Center in reviving a cherished summer tradition and valuable recreational space for local families. The funding for these renovations came from a special-purpose local-option sales tax, or SPLOST, approved in 2021. While the pools are almost ready, the city is still working to fully staff them. This is an issue that's affecting communities across the country. Director of the Columbus Parks and Recreation department, Holli Browder, said, 'You are currently looking at a deficit for lifeguards. We were actually featured on NPR statewide radio last week where they continue to have the same discussion we've had here in Columbus. That is not just a Columbus or Georgia related issue. It's nationwide. We're not looking at an effect opening. It would affect the operational hours and days. But again, we're being very optimistic and hopeful that we're going to be able to meet the numbers that we need to be sure that we can open those pools.' Columbus lifeguards must be certified through the American Red Cross. Parks and Recreation is offering certification classes for qualified applicants. The classes are scheduled for May 1-4 and 8-10. The city is encouraging anyone, from students to retirees, to consider applying. Browder said, 'It could be anyone who has a desire to serve the community and serve in a lifesaving capacity as a lifeguard. It's ages 15 and up, and we're grateful to have anyone who's willing to serve in that position.' Along with the pools, two new splash pads are set to open this summer, one at Carver Park and another at the City Services Center. To celebrate, the city is planning several community events in June, including a 'Welcome Back to Summer' party for kids. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Liberty Co. Sheriff's Office sounds alarm for new jail
LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) — The Liberty County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) is sounding the alarm over the condition of its aging jail, and they are asking county leaders to help with constructing a new jail. LCSO said they are holding things together with tape and Band-Aids at the county jail. He said the more than 30-year-old facility is no longer meeting the needs of the growing population and that it's time to expand. WSAV spoke with Deputy Chief Al Hagan about the conditions. 'If you walk through the facility, you see where we're having to patch piping, where the copper pipe was put inside of concrete, air conditions are constantly breaking down,' he said. Hagan said it's an outdated facility that isn't safe for inmates or staff. The hope is the new jail will have a space for positive inmate programs and allow staff to do their jobs more efficiently. 'What we look at by having places to do programs allow us to send a better citizen back into the street instead of just bringing them here and warehousing people and turning them out the same person or worse, when they go back into the community,' said Hagan. The current facility has around 276 beds, 305 as the maximum of prisoners. Hagan told WSAV it is running near capacity every day. They are also housing federal inmates, while also holding prisoners from neighboring counties. In addition, we're told the ratio of toilets and showers per inmate is below state standards. 'Also, the county jail has become what I call the de facto mental health facility, because we have a lot of issues with mental health and a large percentage of our inmates has some form of mental health and so on,' Hagan said. 'Of course, our statewide facilities are not able to hold them all and we're having to try our best and I think we have four medical beds here for true medical issues.' A state evaluation revealed the county is in need of over 650 beds to keep up with future growth. However, the sheriff's office is pushing for at least 550, which would be cheaper and easier on taxpayers. Hagan said construction of a new jail could cost anywhere between $75-$100 million. 'It's mandated that the Sheriff's Office provide this service to the community,' he said. 'And so, I ask them to be mindful of it, understand that SPLOST is a way. When the SPLOST comes up, make sure they vote in favor of it because it will help offset the cost of this deal compared to what citizens pay straight from increased taxes.' He continued, 'I tell folks what growth comes crime. and we need to be prepared as we can in every way.' Hagan said shovels could be in the ground by early next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City launches special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) 8 survey
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – The City of Savannah has launched a new public survey to gather feedback from residents in preparation for a proposed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) tax referendum, expected to appear on the ballot in November. The survey, available now by clicking here, aims to identify community priorities as City Council prepares a list of capital improvement projects to include in the proposed SPLOST referendum. Residents are asked to rank their highest to lowest priorities from a pool of six different areas of investment: Parks and Recreation, Community Development, Public Safety, Stormwater and Drainage Projects, Traffic and Transportation, and Municipal Investments. Additionally, residents can allocate a mock $100 budget across these categories to reflect how they would prioritize SPLOST 8 funding. On March 17, Chatham County issued a proposed timeline to local municipalities to prepare for the SPLOST 8 referendum. Municipalities must provide an approved, prioritized list of projects to Chatham County by May 23. The City's SPLOST 8 survey will remain open until May 16. Municipalities are scheduled to vote on an approved intergovernmental agreement (IGA) by July 16 that would outline the capital projects each municipality would fund through SPLOST 8. If the IGA is approved, the SPLOST referendum would move through the final stages of notification before being added to the ballot on November 4. SPLOST is a one percent county-wide sales tax approved by voters to fund capital outlay projects for local governments. Georgia law enacted the use of SPLOST in 1985 with the requirement of voter approval through a referendum. Since its inception, SPLOST 1-7 has generated nearly $700 million in funding for Savannah, and more than $1.5 billion county-wide. In Savannah, nearly 40% of sales taxes are paid by visitors. Municipalities are not allowed by law to balance the City's budget or to cover general operating or maintenance from SPLOST funds. Capital projects for the City funded by SPLOST have included newly paved streets, resurfaced roadways and new sidewalks, stormwater drainage infrastructure, renovations to City Hall, an extension to River Walk, traffic calming measures, new playgrounds, improved athletic fields, and upgraded or new community centers. Through SPLOST, Chatham County has utilized 73% of the funds for roadways and drainage but has also funded other important projects including the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center with now generates a recurring economic impact of more than $200 million in visitor spending. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
