SPECIAL PURPOSE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX
WHAT IS SPLOST?
A Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) is an optional one percent county sales tax used to fund capital outlay projects proposed by the county government and participating qualified municipal governments. In general, county and municipal governments may not use SPLOST proceeds for operating expenses or maintenance of a SPLOST project or any other county or municipal facility or service.
HOW DOES SPLOST WORK?
SPLOST is levied in what the law refers to as a “special district,” which is comprised of the entire territory of the county calling for the SPLOST. By using special districts, the revenue of a county tax can be constitutionally shared with participating municipalities. The tax is imposed when the board of commissioners calls a local referendum (i.e., vote) and the referendum is subsequently passed by the voters within that special district (i.e., county).
WHO PAYS THE PENNY?
The tax is collected on items subject to the sales and use tax within the county. The SPLOST is also imposed on the sale of food and nonalcoholic beverages, which are not subject to the state sales tax, and is also imposed on the sale of alcoholic beverages. SPLOST also applies to sales of motor fuels as “prepaid local tax” (meaning it is collected at the distributor level).
HOW LONG WILL SPLOST FUNDS BE COLLECTED?
Several factors determine the length of time that SPLOST may be imposed. In general, the tax may be levied for up to six years.
The SPLOST PROGRAM
Short for “Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax plan,” the SPLOST is a special county sales tax of 1% on items within Wilcox County subject to the State of Georgia sales and use tax. Georgia law allows local jurisdictions as of July 1, 1985, to use SPLOST proceeds for capital improvement projects that would otherwise be paid for with General Fund or property tax revenues.
FY Report on Projects Funded through SPLOST (DOCUMENT)
