A regional transportation sales tax
— if approved by voters this summer — could help fund portions of the Braselton
LifePath, according to those tied to the project.
The LifePath is a 1.7-mile multi-use path that will connect
residents to businesses along Ga. Hwy. 211 and Thompson Mill Road (Ga. Hwy.
347). The 10-foot wide path will be open to pedestrians, cyclists and those
driving golf carts.
A self-taxing group of 25 commercial property owners along Ga. Hwy. 211 established the Braselton Community Improvement District (CID), whose sole project is installing the LifePath. The group has a $450,000 loan to fund the project until property taxes from those property owners are collected over several years.
But on Monday, the group learned that a new source of funding may be available for the LifePath.
Come July 31, voters will be asked to cast their ballot on the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) — a new, one percent sales tax that will fund transportation projects. The referendum follows the General Assembly’s approval of the Transportation Investment Act (ACT) of 2010.
It’s possible that the Braselton LifePath could receive some of that T-SPLOST money, if approved by voters.
The T-SPLOST vote will take place in 12 specified regions in Georgia. Officials in each of those regions have earmarked the transportation projects that will be funded by the new tax, if it passes. Those regions that don’t approve the T-SPLOST face paying a higher local percentage for transportation projects.
Braselton spans four counties and three regional commission districts. The Braselton CID is located in three of those counties — Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall. The town limits also include Jackson County.
Hall County is served by the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, and Jackson and Barrow counties are served by the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission.
Those regional commissions have decided that if the T-SPLOST passes, 75 percent of the generated sales tax revenue will be spent on specified transportation projects; the other 25 percent will be given to local governments as “discretionary” funds for other transportation projects.
But in the Atlanta Regional Commission — which includes Gwinnett County — the specified project list will be funded by 85 percent of T-SPLOST funds, while the remaining 15 percent can be selected by local counties and cities as they wish.
For the Gwinnett County portion of Braselton, the town may receive an estimated $26,000 each year over the 10-year life of the T-SPLOST, according to town manager Jennifer Dees, who is also a member of the CID board of directors.
“It has to be spent within the region that it was collected,” Dees added.
The Town of Braselton has committed to spend the 15 percent of its discretionary Gwinnett County T-SPLOST funds on the LifePath, if voters approve the referendum, according to Dees. Gwinnett County has also set aside $5 million for CIDs in its county.
If the measure passes during the July referendum, collection of the one-cent sales tax will start Jan. 1, 2013.
And that means that the Braselton CID will likely wait to see if the T-SPLOST passes before moving forward with the LifePath — at least those portions in Gwinnett County.
Those portions in Gwinnett County run along Thompson Mill Road, from the Gates of Braselton to the Hall County line — just shy of The Village of Deaton Creek, an active adult community next to a planned hospital. A small portion of the LifePath was installed along Thompson Mill from the Gates of Braselton to the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 211 by the Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority.
Along Ga. Hwy. 211, the Gwinnett County portion of the LifePath runs mostly along The Falls of Braselton to Grand Hickory Drive.
The other portions of the LifePath in Hall and Barrow counties could still move forward with construction because they are not being considered for T-SPLOST funding, according to Braselton CID administrator Guy Herring.
Two other major projects in the area are also part of the T-SPLOST referendum for voters in Jackson and Barrow counties. Those projects are the extension of Braselton Parkway from Jesse Cronic Road in Jackson County to Ga. Hwy. 211 in Barrow County, and major improvements to the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 211 and Interstate 85 near Chateau Elan to include a roundabout.
Since those projects will also include sidewalks, Dees said it’s possible that all of the projects will mean that someone can travel from Deaton Creek to downtown Braselton — via the LifePath. However, a small section — about an eighth of a mile — is still missing among the paved path plans for Braselton.
The Braselton CID board of directors didn’t take any action on the proposal during its monthly meeting on Monday.
In other business, a caucus on Monday named Terry Evans, president of Independence Bank, a new member of the Braselton CID. He replaces Lorri Cabe, who recently resigned from her post 5 seat because of an out-of-state move.
A self-taxing group of 25 commercial property owners along Ga. Hwy. 211 established the Braselton Community Improvement District (CID), whose sole project is installing the LifePath. The group has a $450,000 loan to fund the project until property taxes from those property owners are collected over several years.
But on Monday, the group learned that a new source of funding may be available for the LifePath.
Come July 31, voters will be asked to cast their ballot on the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) — a new, one percent sales tax that will fund transportation projects. The referendum follows the General Assembly’s approval of the Transportation Investment Act (ACT) of 2010.
It’s possible that the Braselton LifePath could receive some of that T-SPLOST money, if approved by voters.
The T-SPLOST vote will take place in 12 specified regions in Georgia. Officials in each of those regions have earmarked the transportation projects that will be funded by the new tax, if it passes. Those regions that don’t approve the T-SPLOST face paying a higher local percentage for transportation projects.
Braselton spans four counties and three regional commission districts. The Braselton CID is located in three of those counties — Barrow, Gwinnett and Hall. The town limits also include Jackson County.
Hall County is served by the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission, and Jackson and Barrow counties are served by the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission.
Those regional commissions have decided that if the T-SPLOST passes, 75 percent of the generated sales tax revenue will be spent on specified transportation projects; the other 25 percent will be given to local governments as “discretionary” funds for other transportation projects.
But in the Atlanta Regional Commission — which includes Gwinnett County — the specified project list will be funded by 85 percent of T-SPLOST funds, while the remaining 15 percent can be selected by local counties and cities as they wish.
For the Gwinnett County portion of Braselton, the town may receive an estimated $26,000 each year over the 10-year life of the T-SPLOST, according to town manager Jennifer Dees, who is also a member of the CID board of directors.
“It has to be spent within the region that it was collected,” Dees added.
The Town of Braselton has committed to spend the 15 percent of its discretionary Gwinnett County T-SPLOST funds on the LifePath, if voters approve the referendum, according to Dees. Gwinnett County has also set aside $5 million for CIDs in its county.
If the measure passes during the July referendum, collection of the one-cent sales tax will start Jan. 1, 2013.
And that means that the Braselton CID will likely wait to see if the T-SPLOST passes before moving forward with the LifePath — at least those portions in Gwinnett County.
Those portions in Gwinnett County run along Thompson Mill Road, from the Gates of Braselton to the Hall County line — just shy of The Village of Deaton Creek, an active adult community next to a planned hospital. A small portion of the LifePath was installed along Thompson Mill from the Gates of Braselton to the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 211 by the Braselton Visitors Bureau Authority.
Along Ga. Hwy. 211, the Gwinnett County portion of the LifePath runs mostly along The Falls of Braselton to Grand Hickory Drive.
The other portions of the LifePath in Hall and Barrow counties could still move forward with construction because they are not being considered for T-SPLOST funding, according to Braselton CID administrator Guy Herring.
Two other major projects in the area are also part of the T-SPLOST referendum for voters in Jackson and Barrow counties. Those projects are the extension of Braselton Parkway from Jesse Cronic Road in Jackson County to Ga. Hwy. 211 in Barrow County, and major improvements to the intersection of Ga. Hwy. 211 and Interstate 85 near Chateau Elan to include a roundabout.
Since those projects will also include sidewalks, Dees said it’s possible that all of the projects will mean that someone can travel from Deaton Creek to downtown Braselton — via the LifePath. However, a small section — about an eighth of a mile — is still missing among the paved path plans for Braselton.
The Braselton CID board of directors didn’t take any action on the proposal during its monthly meeting on Monday.
In other business, a caucus on Monday named Terry Evans, president of Independence Bank, a new member of the Braselton CID. He replaces Lorri Cabe, who recently resigned from her post 5 seat because of an out-of-state move.
Independence Bank’s property on Ga. Hwy. 211 was recently added to the CID. The
bank also funded the group’s $450,000 loan to finance the LifePath.
Source: Barrow Journal, Posted by Kerri
Testement in Braselton
Archives, Top Stories
& Breaking News Saturday,
May 12. 2012
Comments:
The Special Interest groups want to use T-SPLOST funds
like a slush fund for their own projects.
The CIDs want all roads to lead to their shopping centers and malls, the
Agenda 21 folks want empty walk and bike lanes, trains and buses. They want all cars off the road. Commuters
want their roads fixed. This revelation
has prompted more No Votes to arise. Cumberland
CID wants a new $700 million unwanted MARTA bus service for Cobb, The lack of
control over funds and useless projects will doom this boondoggle.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party
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