Local government officials are pushing forward on a new special purpose local option sales tax and intend to hold a ballot referendum on the measure come Election Day, Nov. 4. Officials met Monday night at Chateau Elan in Braselton to lay out the schedule for public hearings on the proposed new tax and discuss the particulars of a SPLOST VII. SPLOST originated in 1985 as a 1 percent sales tax to pay for capital projects, infrastructure and development expenses. Money from the tax has been spent on everything from road improvements and public works projects to libraries and parks to public safety operations and building construction.