General TSPLOST 2018 Program Information

The TSPLOST 2018 program was approved by Athens-Clarke County voters on November 7, 2017. the additional 1% sales tax collection began in April 2018 as an additional sales tax on the current sales tax, making Athens-Clarke County's total sales tax 8%.

Georgia law allows local communities to use Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST) proceeds for transportation purposes if approved by voters in a referendum. General guidelines for projects are below, see Official Code of Georgia (O.C.G.A) 48-8-260(5) for more details.

• 'Transportation purposes' includes roads, bridges, public transit, rails, airports, buses, and all accompanying infrastructure and services necessary to provide access to these facilities.
• Roads, streets, sidewalks, bicycle paths, and bridge purposes such as:
  • acquisition of rights of way;
  • construction;
  • renovation and improvement, including resurfacing;
  • relocation of utilities;
  • improvement of surface-water drainage; and/or
  • patching, leveling, milling, widening, shoulder preparation, culvert repair, and other repairs necessary for their preservation.
• Stormwater and drainage capital outlay projects, in conjunction with transportation projects

These transportation projects would otherwise be paid for with General Fund and property tax revenues. 

Timeline

• October 4, 2016: Mayor and Commission appoint a Citizens Advisory Committee to review and recommend projects for the TSPLOST 2018 program.
• February 28, 2017: Project Request Deadline
• March - April 2017: Citizen Advisory Committee project reviews 
• May 1, 2017: Citizen Advisory Committee has to submit list of candidate projects to Mayor and Commission
• May 9, 2017: Mayor and Commission Work Session to review potential TSPLOST 2018 projects
• June 13, 2017 and July 11, 2017: Mayor and Commission Work Sessions to review and discuss TSPLOST 2018 projects
• August 1, 2017: Mayor and Commission approve final list of TSPLOST 2018 projects
• November 7, 2017: TSPLOST 2018 Referendum was passed
• April 1, 2018  TSPLOST 2018 Collections began
• March 30, 2023 TSPLOST 2018 Collections will end