SPLOST Penny Plan deserves your support and vote on March 2

The SPLOST V referendum will be held on March 2, 2004 for all registered voters of Hall County and municipalities. The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently voted to support the referendum and has formed a committee to educate the community on SPLOST and assist in marketing the projects of the referendum.

Greater Hall Chamber Chairman Benny Bagwell said, “I am pleased to see the Board offer their support of the referendum. This method of paying for capital expenditures is the fairest way to fund them. It keeps the total burden off the property owners and helps keep our businesses competitive.”

Kelly Miles, a partner with Smith, Gilliam, Williams and Miles, and Mike Freeman, Rector at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church in Oakwood, are chairing the Hall Progress Committee 2004 – the SPLOST V education marketing committee. Lana Nix, President of SunTrust, and Mike Whitmire, President of Gainesville Bank & Trust, are treasurers.

A few reasons why SPLOST The Penny Plan – Hall County’s One Cent Solution deserves your support:

The Penny Plan pays for crucial infrastructure needs throughout our community – road improvement projects, landfill expansion, public safety projects, fire stations and parks. It will also pay for a new South Hall Library and municipal projects.

The Penny Plan represents true “needs” NOT “wants” and is cheaper than any alternative, including a property tax increase or use of government bonds. The Penny Plan is fiscally conservative. It pays on a cash basis.

The Penny Plan is the fair way to go! Forty percent (40%) of funding will come from out-of-county residents who use our roads and community services. In addition, Hall County will receive matching dollars for roads and a new library if SPLOST passes.

This is not a new tax, taxes will not be raised, and the sales tax will remain the same at 7%. SPLOST does not tax property owners. Everybody that buys anything in Hall County and its municipals contributes one penny of sales tax – this means everybody pays.

This is the fairest way to pay for these needed infrastructure and capital projects because you pay as you go. If we had to pay for these infrastructure improvements in other ways, our property tax would certainly increase. The Penny Plan is fiscally conservative. It pays on a cash basis.

Everyone knows how much we need road improvements. If this SPLOST is passed, the State of Georgia will match 75 cents for each dollar we spend. That will amount to another $30,000,000 making a total of $70,000,00 for needed road improvements in Hall County. These roads will benefit all Hall Countians.

SPLOST will pay for a much needed library in South Hall County. There is not a library facility south of Oakwood, and the soaring population in South Hall County warrants a new, modern library. If SPLOST passes, the library will also obtain more matching funds from the State in order to make this a first-class facility.

We must have two new fire stations in Hall County. This will bring most of Hall County within easy range of fire services and help folks lower their fire insurance.

If any organization or club is interested in a SPLOST presentation or information hand-out, please contact Kit Dunlap at the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, 770-532-6206.

All 64,400+ registered voters in Hall County and its municipalities are eligible to vote on March 2, 2004. Absentee ballots are now available at the Hall County Registrar’s Office at 275 Dawsonville Highway in Gaineville (adjacent to Colonial Lakeshore Mall), 770-531-6950. Advance Voting is available at the Hall County Registrar’s Office on Dawsonville Highway from February 23 through February 27.

Please exercise your voting privilege and VOTE YES on March 2 for SPLOST V.

Support The Penny Plan… Hall County’s One Cent Solution and vote ‘YES’ on March 2.

Related Information http://www.hallcounty.org/gov/splost.asp