Take heart, citizens, in less than a week you’ll be able to watch the World Series or your favorite reality show without being subjected to nasty political ads.
It all ends Tuesday with the General election. National races are the focus as Republicans and Democrats battle for power in the mid-term elections. There are also several contentious races at the state level on the Nov. 2 ballot.
But the only really local issue is a referendum on extending the special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) for another six years. If passed, the one-percent tax is expected to generate over $47 million to be divided among the governments of the county.
Jackson County, which would get 70 percent of the revenue, would use most of its share to pay down county debt on the new jail. It would also allocate a portion to build three new EMS facilities and would use some of the money to buy land for a new park. Commerce, which stands to get $4 million, indicates that it would use its share as follows: 27.5 percent each for recreation and roads, and 45 percent for water and sewerage infrastructure.
Jefferson, Nicholson, Maysville, Arcade, Braselton, Hoschton, Pendergrass and Talmo would also get shares of the proceeds if the tax is approved.
Proponents say 40 percent of the tax would be paid by people who live outside Jackson County but who shop here.
If the voters turn down the referendum, the sales tax will drop to six percent when the current SPLOST expires June 30.
