East Cobb residents will get their closest chance to ask questions about the 2028 SPLOST renewal on Wednesday, Sept. 16, when Cobb County holds a town hall at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center on Sandy Plains Road.
That session is one of six open houses the county has scheduled between Monday, Sept. 14, and Tuesday, Oct. 27, to explain what's on the ballot before voters decide Tuesday, Nov. 3, whether to extend the one-percent sales tax that funds roads, parks, libraries and other capital projects.
The SPLOST is not a property tax. It is a penny-on-the-dollar sales tax that has funded county infrastructure for 30 years, according to the county's 2028 SPLOST information page.
Deputy county manager Bill Volckmann presented findings from a public feedback survey that drew 2,088 responses at the Board of Commissioners' April 14 meeting. Of those responses, 84% favored renewing the sales tax, according to East Cobb News. The board then approved the 2028 SPLOST project list at its April 28 meeting and voted to place the renewal question on the November ballot.
The project list totals more than $794 million in county construction and maintenance projects, East Cobb News reported. A project booklet with the full breakdown is available for download on the SPLOST information page.
Full town hall schedule
- Monday, Sept. 14, 6:30-8 p.m. — Cobb County Civic Center, 548 S. Marietta Parkway SE, Marietta
- Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6:30-8 p.m. — Tim D. Lee Senior Center, 3332 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta
- Tuesday, Sept. 22, 5:30-6:30 p.m. — David Hankerson Building, 2nd floor, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta
- Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6:30-8 p.m. — Milford Recreation Center, 675 Smyrna Powder Springs Road, Marietta
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 6:30-8 p.m. — West Cobb Senior Center, 4915 Dallas Highway, Powder Springs
- Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5:30-6:30 p.m. — David Hankerson Building, 2nd floor, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta
The Sept. 16 session on Sandy Plains Road sits in the heart of the East Cobb community, making it the most convenient option for residents on this side of the county.
East Cobb News reported on the schedule on Aug. 25.
Earlier this year, the county held nine open houses between mid-January and mid-March to gather initial input on how SPLOST dollars should be spent, including sessions at the Tim D. Lee Senior Center, the Public Safety Training Center in Austell, Fullers Recreation Center, West Cobb Senior Center, Acworth Community Center, Smyrna Community Center, the Cobb Civic Center and the Ben Robertson Community Center in Kennesaw.
Residents who cannot attend a town hall can email questions or comments to [email protected]. The referendum appears on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 ballot.
