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TSPLOST 2023, what made the first cut?

Athens-Clarke County Commissioners got a look on Tuesday at a narrowed-down list of potential transportation projects that could be funded by TSPLOST 2023. Commissioners were broadly supportive of the list, and many thanked the citizens advisory committee that vetted nearly $700 million dollars worth of proposals and winnowed them down to something closer to the one percent sales tax's expected revenue.

But, many commissioners seemed troubled by the omission of one expensive project identified as a priority by local lawmakers – pavement maintenance. County staff had requested over $70 million – about half the expected TSPLOST revenue - to pave and maintain county roads. That project didn’t make the first cut of projects, although commissioners can put it on the project list if they want.

The proposed list created by the citizens committee adds up to about 150 percent of the total expected revenue. The committee’s next task is to cut the list down to a final recommended set of projects that will total about $144 million dollars – the expected revenue from the proposed sales tax. Commissioners will eventually have to approve a list, although they can make changes.

TSPLOST 2023 is expected to be in front of voters next May.

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