Wheels start turning on transportation tax process

Leaders from across Middle Georgia met Thursday in Macon for the first discussion of a proposed regional transportation sales tax.

If voters approve the tax dedicated to projects such as roads and airports, the overall sales tax in the 11-county region would increase by a penny on every dollar. In places such as Bibb and Houston counties, that would mean an 8-cent sales tax.

A required roundtable to be held later will be the real start of the process and will include the commission chairman from each of the 11 counties in the region as well as one mayor from each county.

The leaders could have decided Thursday that the next meeting would be the roundtable meeting, but Houston County Commission Chairman Tommy Stalnaker suggested having another informational meeting. By a show of hands, a majority agreed, and the second meeting will be set in early January.

Stalnaker, who is opposed to the regional tax, or T-SPLOST, said it's a complicated process to launch after one meeting. The region, along with other regions in the state, held a T-SPLOST vote in 2012. The tax was defeated in the midstate region with 56 percent voting no.

"I've been through the process, and it's not an easy process," Stalnaker said.

Thursday's meeting was at the Middle Georgia Regional Commission office in Macon, but no Macon-Bibb County officials attended.

About 20 officials from cities and counties in the region were there, as well as Regional Commission staff.

Laura Mathis, assistant director of the commission, said the commission was acting as the organizer of the process but was not taking a position on the T-SPLOST.

"We are not politicking," she said. "We are not advocating. We are not scheming or anything."

The 2012 T-SPLOST referendum was required by the state, and most regions in the state rejected it. The biggest difference this time is that counties can decide not to move forward with a public vote.

The commission polled the counties earlier, and seven counties were in favor with four opposed. Peach, Crawford, Macon-Bibb, Jones, Baldwin, Wilkinson and Pulaski counties supported moving forward. Putnam, Monroe, Twiggs and Houston counties opposed. With a majority in favor, the commission is moving forward with the process.

Mathis gave potential referendum dates that could be as early as May 24, 2016 or as late as March 20, 2018. The vote also could be held in conjunction with the November presidential election next year, but that might be difficult. The process requires many steps, including three public hearings to review the list of proposed projects. Mathis said the process took 18 months for the last referendum.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published December 10, 2015 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Wheels start turning on transportation tax process ."