GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The majority of voters in Gwinnett County rejected a potentially $17 billion tax increase to fund transit projects.
According to data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, 53% of Gwinnett County voters said “no” to the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, also called a TSPLOST for short.
Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson previously covered how the TSPLOST would work, if approved by voters.
The transit referendum would have increased sales taxes in the county by 1% over 30 years to pay for a variety of projects, including an expanded Bus Rapid Transit system.
County officials had earmarked 75 projects to be included in the funding package if the tax increase was approved, with estimates showing the increased sales tax was expected to generate $12 billion over the next 30 years.
Had it passed, county officials previously told Channel 2 Action News they would have used the money to pay for a direct shuttle route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, expanded micro transit shuttle service across all of Gwinnett County, plus the aforementioned Bus Rapid Transit system.
Due to the majority of voters saying “no” on the ballot, those plans are dashed unless the county can find another way to fund the projects in question.
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