Despite the economic woes of the last year, SPLOST V collections were nearly on target.
The Hall County Board of Commissioners heard a report at its work session Monday from Assistant County Administrator Phil Sutton on the final collections of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
The five-year, voter approved, sales tax collected 1 cent for every dollar spent for capital projects in Hall County and its municipalities.
Sutton said final tallies showed $139,762,732 was collected, just 4 percent away from the maximum $146 million the county could collect under the tax.
“It’s pretty close,” Sutton said.
Chairman Tom Oliver was impressed by the accuracy of early projections.
“I think it’s great,” Oliver said.
A number of SPLOST V projects, including the Spout Springs Library and road improvements, came in under budget, leaving money aside for projects that have yet to be completed.
No money will need to be reallocated from other projects.
Sutton said the $12 million left from SPLOST V will be used for parks and fire services projects.
Commissioners also reluctantly discussed sending out two tax bills next year.
County Administrator Charley Nix said taxes will be split into two payments due Oct. 1 and Dec. 1 in 2010.
Nearly 70 percent of the voters on a 2008 ballot question told the county they would prefer receiving two tax bills.
Currently, only one bill is sent out each year, due Dec. 1.
Nix said he worked with the Tax Commissioners Office to find a way to split taxes into two installments without having to send out two bills, which would cost approximately $50,000 extra each year.
In 2010, one bill will be mailed to taxpayers around Aug. 1.
“It has a tear-off portion and you pay what amount you want on the first billing and the remainder in December,” Nix said. “It makes it a practical solution.”
The commissioners, who don’t favor the idea of two tax bills, will likely vote for this billing option at the Thursday board meeting.
“It just puts extra work on the Tax Commissioners Office,” said Commissioner Bobby Banks. “But it’s what the people want and we’re going to do it.”