Forsyth, Cumming settle SPLOST

CUMMING - The sales tax debate is over. Officials from the city of Cumming and Forsyth County successfully negotiated a settlement to end the dispute over the collection of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST).

Forsyth County Commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday morning to sign the intergovernmental agreement. Commissioner David Richard voted against.

Local officials had been working toward negotiating a resolution to the debate over February's sales tax vote by the May 30 deadline set by Judge Hugh Stone. The city and county had disagreed on how to appropriately divide the special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) approved by nearly 70 percent of voters earlier this year. The current tax (SPLOST V) would have expired in June.

The majority of SPLOST funds have been designated for transportation as well as other projects.

The agreement includes $10 million from the county's Park and Greenspace bond to construct a public access aquatic center,and $2.5 million toward any of the city's identified SPLOST projects. The deal would also see both sides drop all pending litigation.

Mayor Ford Gravitt said he hopes both parties can move on.

"I hope we can put our differences behind us and move on," he said. "I think the citizens of Forsyth County and Cumming will be happy with the negotiated settlement we were able to come to."

Forsyth County Commission Chairman Charles Laughinghouse said he was "very thankful" for the negotiation.

"I am pleased we were able to come to a useful conclusion," he said. "I think this is what happens when parties sit down with out personal agendas to move toward the good of the citizens of the county."
- www.NorthFulton.com

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