SPLOST Ballot Measure Approved

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024

The ballot referendum to extend the existing 1% Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for four more years was approved by voters during Tuesday's primary election. The current SPLOST has been in place since 2020 and will sunset in October. With Tuesday's approval of the 2024 SPLOST, the 1% sales tax will remain in place. 

According to data from the Whitfield County Board of Elections, the SPLOST measure passed with nearly 60% of the vote. 5,647 people voted yes while 3,766 voted no. 

The SPLOST is expected to raise an estimated $80 million for special projects and capital spending in Whitfield County over the next four years. The City of Dalton is expected to receive approximately $26.9 million from that total. The projects that were recommended by the SPLOST Citizens Advisory Committee last year and approved by the Mayor and Council devote 78% of that funding towards public safety and roads projects. Those include funding to replace radio units used by police and fire personnel, a new ladder truck for the Dalton Fire Department, new patrol vehicles for the Dalton Police Department, stormwater improvements, and the replacement of the Underwood Street Bridge. Approximately 22% of the City's SPLOST share will be going to Parks and Recreation Department projects. Those include the extension of the popular Mill Line Trail into the downtown Dalton area and also improvements to Heritage Point Park. For a complete list of the SPLOST committee's recommended projects, click here.