Writer: Taylor Cooper
Published November 5, 2022
The Brunswick News
Jimmy Arnold and Donna Davis, two members of the Impact Glynn political action committee, feel very good about this year’s SPLOST referendum.
That’s partially due to the composition of the PAC itself, which Arnold described as a very broad cross-section of the Brunswick community, including businesspeople from most sectors and faith leaders. Impact Glynn has the ear of public officials who will manage SPLOST if it’s passed, he said, and he feels confident those in power now will be open and accountable.
“We’re trying to improve our county as a whole,” Arnold said. “(Glynn is) one of six counties in the state that doesn’t have a SPLOST currently. That’s revenue that could go to good use, and Impact Glynn has been involved in the city and county in setting expectations about what we would like to see as citizens.”
SPLOST, short for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, is a means for county governments and municipalities to raise funds for projects by asking citizens to impose a limited 1% sales tax. State law caps a SPLOST at six years. Historically, participating government organizations provided a list of projects they hope to use the money on. That happened in the 2016 SPLOST that passed and the 2021 SPLOST that failed.
The county government must initiate the SPLOST referendum by law, but municipalities are also entitled to SPLOST revenue. Glynn County also has agreements with the Jekyll Island Authority and the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission to share some of the proceeds.
To read the full SPLOST 2022 proposal, visit impactglynn.com.
This year’s SPLOST proposal is very in-depth, Arnold said, taking into account a potential economic downturn and inflation to provide a flexible plan. At a conservative estimate, he says a study conducted by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute calculates at least $133 million in revenue from a six-year 1% sales tax, 44% of which would be paid by nonresidents.
On the higher end, assuming no economic downturn, collections could exceed $170 million.
“A big point for us is if we collect $133 million — that’s the Carl Vinson study, but also a consulting firm called GUDE — 44% would come from visitors,” Davis said. “That’s $58 million that’s coming from people who visit the area.”
The Golden Isles is a tourist destination, and it’s not fair to ask full-time residents to shoulder the burden entirely, she added.
A lot of hay has been made of the 44% figure, Arnold said, as it differs from a higher estimate the county touted when pushing for SPLOST 2016. He had an explanation for that, saying it begins with the state Department of Revenue collecting more detailed sales tax information from counties.
“The way the information is now pulled from the Department of Revenue from the counties is a lot more detailed than it was in 2015. There’s a lot more detail to this information now,” Arnold explained. “This is hard data that’s been provided by the Department of Revenue to the Carl Vinson Institute. All the numbers are factual, independent of Impact Glynn or any other entity.”
If approved, county government would get the lion’s share of the pot, but Arnold believes it’s unfair to the city to focus on the county’s part.
“There’s so much discussion about what the county is getting or doing or not doing but no conversation about the city,” Arnold said.
The city’s $28 million share would double its annual revenue, he said, allowing the city to complete some projects it normally would not due to its limited tax base.
This time around, both the city and county will have dedicated project managers, Arnold added, and touted the experience of City Manager Regina McDuffie and Glynn County Manager Bill Fallon, saying they could get the job done. Fallon especially could as the former deputy director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.
“Multi-million dollar projects don’t scare him and he can obviously get them done,” Arnold said.
He, the members of Impact Glynn and local officials aren’t just supporting it out of some altruistic ideal, however. It’s about fixing up and improving the entire Golden Isles, and he’s personally excited about some of the items on the list.
Chief among them is roadwork. He is tired of hitting potholes and dips on major roads.
“Last night I was on Altama and I was talking to my father-in-law about the need to fill potholes or level manhole covers,” Arnold said.
McDuffie said she wants to see more bike lanes and waterfront amenities around the city. She wants to enjoy Brunswick’s natural beauty more and likes seeing the city at a slower pace by riding her bike.
For City Commissioner Kendra Rolle, it’s the drainage improvements the city will use the money on. It’s an issue across town and disrupts her life and the lives of her friends on Albany Street.
At the intersection of Albany and F streets, Respect for Life Bookstore is often affected by flooding and it’s not unusual for schoolchildren in the area to be late for classes due to waterlogged streets.
Albany Street is also an overlooked area in the eyes of Brunswick Mayor Cosby Johnson, who said he wants SPLOST to be a tool for the city to use to enhance areas that have been lacking in economic development. Areas like that exist across the city, but Albany and the Martin Luther King Jr. and Altama Avenue corridor are two points he feels need some love.
As someone who lives off Harry Driggers Boulevard and frequently drives around the area, Glynn County Commission Chairman Wayne Neal said he sometimes sounds like a broken wheel talking about the intersection where Glynco Parkway, Canal Road and Harry Driggers meet.
“That’s one of the most dangerous intersections in the county because it’s not a right-angle intersection. That’s needed some changes for some time,” Neal said.
On the SPLOST 2022 list is a project to replace that intersection with a roundabout, which Neal says will make it safer and more convenient for drivers.
“It would also help me in my commute, but it would also help everyone else like people going to North Glynn (Recreation Complex),” Neal said. “It’s a busy intersection and it’s a dangerous one.”
A St. Simons Island resident, Davis said the traffic on the island is something she thinks SPLOST projects will alleviate. In particular, a project to revamp the St. Simons Island gateway is assigned $14 million in the SPLOST 2022 proposal.
“I love roundabouts. They’re efficient and help me get where I’m going,” Davis said.
It’s to the community’s shame, she said, that nothing has been done about that. Traffic tends to back up during morning and evening work traffic, which is a problem for residents and not tourists. Since they use the road too, however, it’s fitting they should help upgrade the route, she said.
“Those are people trying to get to their jobs. They’re not going to the beach at 8 o’clock in the morning,” Davis said. “I feel very bad for all the workers who have to go through that every morning.”
The last day to cast a vote for or against SPLOST is Tuesday, Election Day. Polling places will open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
For more information or to check registration status or precinct location, visit glynncounty.org/elections or www.mvp.sos.ga.gov.
