SPLOST election set for Feb. 5
By Deborah Bennett Millen News Editor

A Special Election will be held Feb. 5, 2008 for the purpose of allowing local voters to determine whether or not the present one-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) will be continued for an additional six years. The election will be held in conjunction with the Presidential Preference Primary.

The total anticipated SPLOST income generated over the six-year period is predicted to be $6 million, pending voter approval in the Special Election. The revenues must be used for funding of capital improvements projects with the county receiving 65 percent and the city 35 percent.

A breakdown of planned expenditures by the county is as follows: Public Safety Buildings, $1,165,000; Jail, $1,000,000; Roads and Bridges equipment, $659,000; Roads and Bridges improvements, $800,000; Courthouse improvements, $528,000; Industrial Park improvements, $200,000; Library, $50,000; and General Government equipment, $23,000.

The City of Millen has outlined its capital improvement projects as follows: Administration Department capital improvements, $100,000; Water Tank, $420,000; Water and Sewer improvements, $420,000; Road Department, $435,000; and Police and Fire departments, $200,000.

The current tax will expire March 2008, almost a year earlier than anticipated, due to the fact that the $2.5 million approved for collection will have been reached. However, the county's request for a waiver seeking to continue the tax for three additional months has been approved by the State. Therefore, there will not be a lapse in collection of the SPLOST, providing it receives voter approval in February.

County and city officials note that they are seeking "continuation" of the present one-cent SPLOST, not an "additional" tax.

Anyone who is not already registered to vote in the Special Election/ Presidential Preference Primary may do so until 5 p.m. Jan. 7, 2008 in the office of the Jenkins County Registrar at the Jenkins County Courthouse.