For the second time in four years, Habersham county voters have rejected a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. The tax, if approved, would have raised approximately $44 million to fund road and bridge projects.
Voters defeated the measure by a margin of 1,693 votes. The final tally was 9,198 votes against T-SPLOST (55%) and 7,505 in favor (45%). Banks County voters voted in favor of their T-SPLOST referendum. Habersham County officials had hoped for a similar outcome after spending months crafting a referendum to secure the support of the county’s seven municipalities. In the end, it wasn’t enough as voters rebelled against raising the local sales tax to 8% on the heels of a millage rate increase and inflation.
Habersham County Commission Chair Bruce Palmer expended a great deal of political capital on T-SPLOST. He hosted multiple town halls and livestreams trying to help voters understand the need for what the county billed as its “Roads and Bridges” SPLOST.
“The voters made their decision,” Palmer tells Now Habersham. “Obviously the voters felt it was something they didn’t want at this time.”
Asked how the county will now pay for the road and bridge improvements he says are sorely needed, Palmer replies, “Continue as we have. I am only 1 of 5 commissioners. I’m sure there will be future discussions.” He adds, “I will continue to do what’s best for our citizens.”
Habersham County Manager Alicia Vaughn expressed early optimism T-SPLOST would pass given the rather close vote margin in 2018. She declined to comment for this article, differing our questions to the county commission.
Supporters billed T-SPLOST as a “fair” tax because more than just property owners would pay into it. They trumpeted the fact that out of town shoppers and tourists would contribute to help pay for the roads and bridges they use. But that argument fell on deaf ears with those opposed to the tax. Critics accused commissioners of having a “spending problem.” It was a critique spelled out in a public letter issued ahead of the vote by Habersham County Republican Party Chair David Sosby and former Democratic Party Chair Virginia Webb.
Following the measure’s defeat on November 8th, Webb stood firm in her opposition.
“I don’t think it’s a fair tax. Who’s it fair to?” she asks.
“I want to be very clear; I am not closed minded to the needs of our County. This is just not the right way of doing it.”
For his part, Sosby calls T-SPLOST’s defeat “a good thing”.
Commissioner Jimmy Tench, who along with commissioner Bruce Harkness voted against the county’s recent millage rate increase says he’s not surprised voters rejected yet another tax increase.
“I knew it wasn’t going to pass,” he says. When asked what’s next he adds, “I have no idea”.
In keeping with state law, Habersham County must now wait at least two years before the county commission can pursue another T-SPLOST referendum.
Alcohol sales and city council races
T-SPLOST was the only local initiative on the ballot rejected by voters on Tuesday. Habersham County voters did approve a measure to allow Sunday brunch alcohol sales. The referendum passed with 60% of the vote. Clarkesville voters also overwhelmingly approved Sunday alcohol package sales. The measure, which will allow package sales between the hours of 12:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Sunday passed with 62% of the vote.
In the only two locally contested races on the ballot, Clarkesville voters elected Brad Coppedge to the Post 2 city council seat. Coppedge defeated challenger Rick Wood by 17 votes, 325 to 308. Donnie Bennett will return to the Demorest City Council after winning Tuesday’s race against Jimmy Davis. Bennett claimed 65% of the vote, receiving 324 votes to Davis’ 178.
Habersham County had a 60% voter turnout. Just over 17,000 of the county’s 28,000 active registered voters cast ballots during the 2022 election. Of those, 4,933 were cast on election day.
SEE ALSO: HABERSHAM COUNTY ELECTION RETURNS
