Despite a pandemic, Lawrenceville is enjoying a windfall from a local sales tax that will be used to do some extra roadwork in the city and add to spending on projects already planned.
The special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) was approved by voters in 2016, and has generated about $1.9 million more tax revenue than expected a little over three years into the SPLOST’s six-year collection period, said Chuck Warbington, city manager of Lawrenceville.
Lawrenceville City Council unanimously voted Monday evening to increase its budget for SPLOST expenditures by nearly $2.4 million over the life of the tax. Lawrenceville’s planning department expects revenue to continue at the same pace until the tax ends in 2023. In response, the city will increase the budget of each project category by 9%, bringing the total SPLOST budget from $26.46 million to $28.85 million.
The SPLOST collections will pay for several projects, including an additional downtown parking deck, upgrades to the Lawrenceville Lawn and several roadway improvements. The tax will also pay for the Lawrenceville Performing Arts Center, set to open this spring.
The added funds give Lawrenceville the opportunity to take on new projects, including a $1.2 million roadway improvement at the intersection of Scenic Highway and New Hope Road/Jackson Street, Warbington said. He doesn’t expect an increase in the SPLOST allocation for joint city and county projects.
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