Nov. 4 ballot includes referendum on civic projects

The SPLOST 8 referendum that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) is a penny sales tax that supports projects proposed by the county and municipalities. This is the eighth such measure.

Projects on the referendum include road and traffic improvement on Benton and Highlands Blvd, new fire stations in Garden City and Tybee Island and the removal of the I-16, MLK Flyover in Savannah. The project suggestions are the result of public meetings with residents of Chatham County and of research to find out what each city needs.

Bert Brantley, president and CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, supports the measure in his official capacity with the Chamber. Public officials are prohibited from campaigning for SPLOST measures.

Estimates are that SPLOST 8 would provide $700 million for the projects. “(Tourists) pay 40 percent of the dollars for it so this is a way for our visitors to contribute to our projects that will help us in our quality of life,” said Brantley.

“We at the Chamber of Commerce are so supportive of this because it is a very tightly controlled, very transparent way to collect tax funds and spend it on very specific projects,” he said.

Chatham County Board of Education Tax

A Chatham County schools tax measure that could seriously impact both homeowners and county schools will appear on voters’ November 4 ballot.

The bipartisan bill would provide a homestead exemption from taxes that support Savannah Chatham County Public System.

Roughly two-thirds of Chatham County property taxpayers’ bills are dedicated to school taxes. According to legislators, school taxes have increased 87% in eight years as student enrollment has declined by 5% and the cost of administration has increased by 65%. The increase in administrative costs is due to mental health supports, special education services, nurses and counselors, according to a spokesperson for the school system.

School spokespersons defend the current level of school taxes when speaking of House Bill 782, known as the Chatham County Schools Tax Relief Act.

School tax revenue has increased due largely to rising property values, they say. Those increases have been reinvested in students, teachers, and services.

Declining enrollment is a national trend due to lower birthrates, increased school choice, and the effects of Covid 19. Administrators expect that trend to be reversed as employers such as Hyundai bring jobs and families to western Chatham County.



Investment in technological upgrades and fund allocations to offset state-mandated increases in teacher retirement and state health benefits, contribute to increased costs.

Defenders of the current tax levels argue that HB 782 could introduce uncertainty into school funding that could jeopardize teacher salaries, classroom resources and student programs in the face of inflation and population growth.