{"id":18333,"date":"2017-04-09T21:13:52","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T01:13:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=18333"},"modified":"2017-04-09T21:20:20","modified_gmt":"2017-04-10T01:20:20","slug":"videos-regional-t-splost-tabled-trash-disposal-renewals-another-lift-station-pump-dasher-streets-lcc-2017-03-28","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2017\/04\/videos-regional-t-splost-tabled-trash-disposal-renewals-another-lift-station-pump-dasher-streets-lcc-2017-03-28.html","title":{"rendered":"Videos: regional T-SPLOST tabled, Trash disposal renewals, another lift station pump, Dasher Streets @ LCC 2017-03-28"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\nThey\r\n\r\ntabled T-SPLOST until their next meeting<\/a>\r\nbecause they got a complaint from the Chamber about process,\r\nand also from others.\r\nRemember, even if it gets on the ballot, it can still be voted down again, like in 2012.\r\n

\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n

\r\nMeanwhile, John Stephen, VDT, 7 April 2017,\r\nT-SPLOST headed for referendum<\/a>,\r\n

\r\n

\r\nEven though the Lowndes County Commission delayed a vote on the\r\nregional T-SPLOST at its last meeting due to local confusion on the\r\none-penny sales tax, enough counties in the area now support the tax\r\n(10 out of 18 were needed) to move it forward to a public vote even\r\nwithout the commission’s approval.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIn the coming weeks, a regional roundtable of government\r\nrepresentatives will determine\r\n\r\n when the public vote will take place,\r\nthe projected revenue from the tax and what projects the tax would\r\nfund if passed.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIf approved, the one-penny sales tax would last for 10 years and\r\ncover projects such as road and bridge repairs, safety improvements,\r\nsidewalk construction, traffic signal upgrades and possibly even\r\nprojects related to trains and air travel.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nA 2015 state law is what allows counties to collectively initiate a\r\nregional T-SPLOST. Locally, such a tax would bump sales taxes up to\r\neight cents on the dollar.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n…\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nEven if voters shoot down the regional T-SPLOST, counties will have\r\nthe option to call another vote for an individual T-SPLOST.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nWhat do the county commissioners want from T-SPLOST?\r\nFunding for the \r\ntruck bypass around Valdosta<\/a>; not public transportation.\r\n

\r\nSee also the LAKE videos of the previous morning’s Work Session<\/a>\r\nand\r\nthe agenda<\/a>\r\nto which they did finally add\r\nonline<\/a>\r\n

\r\n

\r\n5.h. Amend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance\r\n
\r\n Approval of ordinance\r\n
\r\nDocuments:\r\nAmend 2015 Solid Waste Ordinance.pdf<\/a>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThey\r\n\r\ntook that added item first<\/a>, reducing pollution and environmental insurance\r\nfrom $5 million to $1 million for solid waste collection franchisees.\r\nThen they approved the franchises for ADS and DSS.\r\n

\r\nThey approved everything else on the agenda, too.\r\n

\r\nPlus a special report from John Sparks, Partnership for Health<\/a>,\r\nwho said the county and Valdosta ten years ago\r\nstarted a free medical clinic for the uninsured\r\nin Lowndes County, and have provided $10 million in medical assistance\r\nin partnership with South Georgia Medical Center (SGMC).\r\nSGMC has provided recent additional funding which also enables moving to new offices at 520 Griffin Ave.\r\n

\r\nThey went into executive session to discussion pending or potential litigation.\r\nCould it be their feud with the local cities about SPLOST tax distribution?\r\n

\r\nHere is the\r\n\r\nCounty’s own video<\/a>\r\nof their meeting,\r\nbecause Gretchen had somewhere else to be that Tuesday evening.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\n