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Paving the Way to a Better Future: Why Our Community Needs T-SPLOST
T-Splost
As our community approaches the upcoming November referendum on the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST), it’s crucial that we understand the significant impact this measure could have on our daily lives and the future of our infrastructure.
The Current State of Affairs
Currently, our city receives a modest annual allocation of approximately $100,000 for street improvements. While this funding allows us to resurface about 3 to 4 short roads per year, it falls drastically short of addressing our community’s growing infrastructure needs.
To put this into perspective, consider Southern Hills Subdivision. There’s a single road in this area that desperately needs resurfacing, with an estimated cost of over $300,000. Under our current budget constraints, addressing this one road alone could consume our entire street improvement budget for three years, leaving countless other roads in disrepair.
The T-SPLOST Difference
The proposed T-SPLOST would be a game-changer for our community. If passed, our city would receive nearly $1 million annually for road improvements. This tenfold increase in funding would allow us to pave and repair many more roads each year than we currently can.
Imagine the transformation:
- Instead of 3-4 short roads per year, we could improve many roads annually.
- Projects like the Southern Hills Subdivision road could be completed in a single year, with funds left over for other critical improvements.
- We could address our backlog of road repairs more quickly, enhancing safety and quality of life for all residents.
A Fair Approach to Funding
One of the most compelling aspects of T-SPLOST is its fairness. Unlike property taxes that place the burden solely on local homeowners and businesses, a sales tax is shared by everyone who makes purchases in our community – including visitors and tourists. This means that those who use our roads, even temporarily, contribute to their maintenance and improvement.
Investing in Our Future
Good infrastructure is the backbone of a thriving community. Well-maintained roads:
- Improve safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians
- Enhance property values across the city
- Attract new businesses and residents
- Reduce vehicle maintenance costs for all drivers
The Time to Act is Now
The choice before us is clear. We can continue with the status quo, stretching our limited resources and watching our infrastructure slowly deteriorate, or we can invest in a brighter future for our community.
By voting YES on the T-SPLOST referendum, we have the power to transform our city’s infrastructure, creating safer, smoother, and more reliable roads for everyone. This is not just about paving streets; it’s about paving the way for a more prosperous and vibrant community.
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Pulaski County Property Tax Reassessments
PROPERTY TAX NOTICES IN PULASKI COUNTY.
Pulaski County has sent out notices regarding new property values in Pulaski County. The Pulaski County Board of Assessors Office has been re-evaluating property values over the last few years and they have finally completed this work. AS PER CURRENT STATE LAW, the county is required to mail out notices of what the new property values are. Also required by law, the notices include an ESTIMATED TAXES based on the new property value multiplied by LAST YEARS millage rates. PLEASE NOTE: The ACTUAL millage rates have not been set. Each governmental entity (County, School, and City) all have to set their individual millage rates BASED on the new valuations. Each governmental entity can ROLL BACK the millage rates if they so desire. The county, city, school all need a certain dollar amount (total budget) to operate. The budget is then divided by the new tax digest to determine their current millage rates. (overly simplified example).
Therefore, until these entities set their millage rates, your current TAX BILL AMOUNT is unknown. The ESTIMATED Total Tax on the notice that you received is therefore NOT accurate. However, state law REQUIRES it be reported this way. This is a bad law and it has been changed but the new law goes into effect NEXT YEAR.
So….. Some OVERLY simplified examples: If ALL properties doubled in value and ALL budgets were the same as last year, then each millage rate could be cut in half and everyone would pay exactly what they did last year. Now again, this is an over simplification. The different government bodies MAY increase their budgets so this is yet to be determined. There may be limiting factors (I think such may be for the school system) that their millage rates HAVE to be a certain millage or higher. There are lots of extenuating situations, but this gives you an idea.
ALSO, it is important how your property’s value changed IN RELATION TO ALL OTHER PROPERTIES. Again – extremely oversimplified example, but if your property increased in value by 10% but all other properties (on average) in the county increased by 30% then you should see a 20% REDUCTION in your tax bill compared to last year (assuming same budgets, etc.). In contrast, if your property’s value increased by 30% and ALL other properties (on average) increased on 10% then you will see a much larger increase than your neighbors. So it is all relevant.
The main point of this statement is: YOUR TAX BILL HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. Each government body must determine its millage rate BASED ON THE TOTAL TAX DIGEST valuation. So regardless of the statement in the mail that is ESTIMATING your tax doubling or tripling, NO ONE KNOWS YET. The county is simply having to follow the letter of the law. Don’t panic yet.
And when the final tax bills ARE sent out, please notice the breakdown. Don’t blame the city if the school system charges more or visa versa. Don’t blame the county if the city raises taxes and visa versa.
Also, PLEASE READ the pink shaded letter included with the notices. It basically says in legalize what I am trying to say here in a little easier to understand format.
I hope this helps to lesson the panic involved with these notices. Even though I am aware of what I have just said, my personal notice indicated a more than doubling. It is hard not to be upset. But again – THESE ESTIMATES are NOT concluded yet.
Shelly Berryhill 