Cobb Leaders to Discuss SPLOST, Bus-Rapid Transit Tuesday

On Tuesday night, leaders from Cobb County and the City of Acworth are scheduled to discuss potential projects that may be incorporated into a potential six-year special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) referendum this November.

The 6:30 p.m. meeting will be held in the Acworth City Hall council chambers.

County leaders will discuss Cobb-wide projects, including a bus-rapid transit system, while Acworth leaders will discuss local projects of interest.

The proposed bus-rapid transit system would connect Kennesaw State University with Midtown Atlanta, running alongside Cobb Parkway.

A new SPLOST, which Cobb Chairman Tim Lee has said he would like to have county residents vote to approve in November, would pay for about $100 million of the $494 million cost for the bus-rapid transit system.

The three Republicans seeking to fill the vacated seat of Acworth City Alderman Bob Weatherford, have indicated that there’s not enough evidence to show that Cobb needs such a system.

Read more from The Marietta Daily Journal here as to what Acworth Alderman candidates Patrick Cooney, Kevin Wigington and Brett North have to say on the subject.

The current SPLOST expires on Dec. 31, 2015, and Lee has said holding a referendum during a general election makes the most financial sense if the county hopes to extend the tax for another four years uninterrupted.

Lee said a special election next year would cost the county about $500,000.

Cobb voters approved the current four-year SPLOST by just 79 votes in 2011. It is expected to collect $494 million to help update existing infrastructure.