Election 2016: Atlanta, Fulton County TSPLOST Referenda

On November 8, residents of the City of the Atlanta and Fulton County (those living outside the city limits) will be presented with separate ballot measures authorizing the collection of sales tax levies to fund transportation projects.

City of Atlanta

Residents living within the City of Atlanta will be asked to approve two ballot referenda allowing for additional investment in transit and transportation infrastructure.

The City of Atlanta is putting forward a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or TSPLOST, to generate funding for transportation improvements and congestion relief.   The TSPLOST calls for an additional .40% sales tax which is expected to raise $250-$300 million over the next five years.

If voters approve the measure, much of the funding will be dedicated to the following:

• $66 million for the Atlanta BeltLine, which will allow the BeltLine to purchase all the remaining right of way to close the 22-mile loop;
• $75 million for 15 complete streets projects;
• $3 million for Phase 2 of the Atlanta Bike Share program;
• $69 million for pedestrian improvements in sidewalks; and
• $40 million for traffic signal optimization.

For more details on the full list of proposed Atlanta projects, click here.

MARTA is also asking voters to approve an additional .50% sales tax which is expected to generate approximately $2.5 billion over a forty-year period.  Funds raised by this levy would be spent on major investments in transit infrastructure, building new infill rail stations, purchasing new buses, and introducing new bus routes.

For more information on MARTA’s expansion plans, visit their site here.

Fulton County (outside of Atlanta)

In July, the Board of Commissioners approved an Intergovernmental Agreement between Fulton County and the 13 cities outside the City of Atlanta.  This allowed Fulton County to place its own TSPLOST on the ballot in November.  The county is asking voters to approve an additional .75 sales tax that is expected to raise $596 million over five years.  The funds would be distributed based on population.

Fulton County provides a complete breakdown of how the revenue generated by the new levy will be allocated, as well as a list of proposed projects.

The City of Atlanta, MARTA and Fulton County referenda can be viewed on the November 8 sample ballot.