Franklin BOC Chair Happy With Revised Transportation Bill

Franklin County Commission Chair Thomas Bridges says he is happy with the new Transportation Funding Act recently passed by the House and Senate.

Bridges said late last week that after reviewing HB170, the final changes are something the county can live with.

“We are much better off than we were when we started,” Bridges said. “They’re giving us the taxes on gas and I think we’re going to be OK.”

HB170 initially removed all of the local sales tax revenue counties and municipalities currently collect and transferred it to the State to fund state transportation projects.

That would have meant a loss to Franklin County annually of some $3-million according to Bridges.

The final version put that money back, but with limitations.

Counties will be able to impose a sales tax on sales of gasoline and diesel fuel up to $3 a gallon.

Bridges said the bill also allows the county to institute a special purpose local option sales tax specifically for road projects.

“As I understand it, beginning in July 2017, any county that is not already collecting taxes, will have the option of putting a T-SPLOST referendum before the voters to pay for transportation and road projects,” he said.

Bridges said the Board will likely discuss the new law at their regular meeting this evening, but he doesn’t expect any action to be taken.

Tonight’s Franklin County Board of Commission meeting takes place at 6p at the Justice Center in Carnesville.