Athens-Clarke County voters will decide next summer whether to fund public transportation projects through sales tax dollars. Local government is now seeking public input on which projects should receive support.
Nearly 60 projects have been proposed, from bike lane safety improvements to installing fiber optic connectivity throughout the city. Voters will decide through a 2026 referendum whether to approve the Transportation Special Option Local Sales Tax (TSPLOST) that would fund the projects.
In 2022, Athens-Clarke County voters agreed to fund 34 transportation projects through TSPLOST, which levies a 1% sales tax.
This year, a citizen oversight board appointed by the mayor and commission will guide the selection of projects, but the mayor and commission will ultimately vote on how to allocate the money. Last year, the commission voted to set aside a large portion of future TSPLOST dollars for basic infrastructure improvements. Millions of dollars will still be left over for other projects.
Local government is seeking feedback from residents on which projects they would like to see funded through an online form found at accgov.com. Responses will be collected until the end of May.
