3-2-09 Information about Oconee SPLOST Referendum on March 17, 2009

3-2-09 Information about Oconee SPLOST Referendum on March 17, 2009 – Part 1

In more recent years, citizens have come to realize that some SPLOST projects will eventually raise property taxes to support the maintenance and operations costs (M & O) of large facilities.………….. . Much of the other proposals will not add large facilities with future M & O annual costs, except possibly # 3 for Recreational, Historic and Scenic Facilities……………………….

AVOC

March 1, 2009

Information about Oconee SPLOST Referendum on March 17, 2009

By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

Oconee County has a SPLOST Election scheduled for March 17, 2009. Early voting is already underway at the Office of Elections on Court Street across from the courthouse.

Sales tax elections have always been popular and usually are favored by 75% Plus Majorities. In more recent years, citizens have come to realize that some SPLOST projects will eventually raise property taxes to support the maintenance and operations costs (M & O) of large facilities.

The current proposed SPLOST involves considerable debt previously incurred by the County Commission – some without a referendum, i.e., Jail funded by Lease-Purchase Contract. That part will not have additional permanent costs of maintenance and personnel for future M & O Budgets.

Much of the other proposals will not add large facilities with future M & O annual costs, except possibly # 3 for Recreational, Historic and Scenic Facilities which may mean recreation facilities that require much lighting, maintenance and increased personnel.

The Oconee County Road System has been neglected in recent years. The $ 8 Million for Roads and Bridges can be good unless all of it is spent on the Oconee Connector or some other pet Project that involves commercial development.

Sales taxes may not continue to increase because of the recession. The $ 40 Million estimated total receipts for County and Cities seems a little ambitious considering that the county is currently only collecting about $ 5.5 Million per year. Unless the collections increase, six years would produce about $ 30.3 Million and not $ 40 Million. Many of us doubt the local economy will increase at that rate over the next few years.

OCONEE COUNTY 2009 SPLOST PROJECTS

General I Obligation Debt I Retirement:	1. Recreational Facilities - 13.9876%	$ 4,800,000
2. County Jail and Emergency Operation Center-911 Building - 17.4845%	$ 6,000,000
Capital Outlay Projects
1. Water & Sewer Facilities - 19.8625%	$ 6,816,000
2. Roads, Streets and Bridges - 23.3127%	$ 8,000,000
3. Recreational, Historic and Scenic Facilities - 3.2055%	$ 1,100,000
4. Fire Station Facilities and equipment- 11.3650%	$ 3,900,000
5. Communication Facilities - 9.3251 %	$ 3,200,000
6. Farmland Protection - 1.4570%	500.000
(Estimated total) -	$ 34,316,000	$ 34,316,000

OCONEE SPLOST 2009 Project List.pdf x

ALL OCONEE SPLOST 2009 PROJECTS – COUNTY & CITIES

http://www.oconeecounty.com/Government/BOE/SampleBallot-3-17-09.pdf

SPLOST Ballot - Oconee March 17, 2009 Referendum

OCONEE SPLOST COLLECTIONS TO February 2009

Received	FY05	FY06	FY07	FY08	FY09
July	------------	410,745.92	483,903.26	474,904.34	427,022.76
August	------------	397,299.12	477,048.60	431,563.33	435,352.60
September	------------	437,783.94	528,311.41	537,230.20	453,536.14
October	------------	440,102.29	511,534.64	412,281.19	414,785.19
November	------------	429,343.40	582,405.21	511,396.30	454,202.62
December	364,034.53	414,208.46	259,740.93	428,879.51	363,236.49
January	320,572.54	414,709.67	386,207.58	388,804.29	395,172.97
February	359,337.88	440,796.29	458,480.53	642,220.33	434,702.73
March	357,430.35	454,117.70	423,196.47	335,091.32
April	343,835.60	406,028.92	427,212.12	427,367.87
May	359,314.89	440,469.97	471,356.40	433,985.77
June	389,303.65	467,241.79	482,396.85	409,310.34
TOTAL	2,500,646.54	5,172,927.51	5,512,848.02	5,442,853.44

Source: Oconee Finance Department O.R.RQ