Liberty County voters may get another chance to decide on funding for local road and drainage projects — and perhaps a way to reduce their property taxes.
While no other countywide races are scheduled to be decided this fall, voters could head to the polls to weigh in on a revived transportation special purpose local option sales tax renewal, called TSPLOST, and the floating local option sales tax, or FLOST.
Officials from around the county met last week to begin crafting strategy on how to let the public know more about the two referenda.
The mechanism for FLOST was approved by voters when they adopted the provisions of HR 1022. That resolution set in motion HB 581, which in turn allows local governments to enact a sales tax dedicated toward property tax relief.
Also on the ballot this November will be a renewal of the TSPLOST. Voters renewed the school system’s education special purpose local option sales tax with 73% of the vote in March. SPLOST VII was approved by nearly 61.6% of the votes cast in November 2022. But the most recent TSPLOST renewal vote failed last fall, with 47.6% of the votes cast favoring its extension.
TSPLOST proceeds, as with any SPLOST measure, can be spent only on projects that are listed on the ballot put before voters as they make their choice on it.
“It is enumerated what we’re going to spend the money on,” Hinesville Mayor Karl Riles said.
TSPLOST 2, which was set to go into effect October 1 this year, with a projected haul of $76 million over six years. Among the projects set to be funded through it were improvements to Charles Frasier Boulevard, pegged at $5 million, and to Islands Highway, along with work on the Hinesville 84 bypass.
“We will not have TSPLOST for a period of time this year,” said City Manager Kenneth Howard. “We have $20 million plus we had targeted for projects to do with these funds. These funds are very critical to the strategic plan of the city and building and improving our infrastructure.”
Local governments will start a campaign to tell voters what TSPLOST proceeds will accomplish.
“It is a heavy lift,” Howard said.
The current TSPLOST will sunset after it hits its mark of $54 million in collections. It has brought in more than $51 million since its inception and for February, the last reported month of collections, it amassed nearly $973,000. January 2025 was TSPLOST’s biggest month, bringing in more than $1.28 million.
Council members Jason Floyd and Dexter Newby suggested having markers on projects that have been completed with or have been finished with help from TSPLOST proceeds.
FLOST, if passed, would use a sales tax of up to 1% to offset property taxes. The millage rate needed to account for the money raised through FLOST would be adjusted, leading to a lower millage rate applied to property taxes.
“The proceeds from the FLOST is a win-win situation for all of us,” Howard said. “All proceeds up to 1% will be used to reduce the city’s millage rate. That is very important to us.”