Ware County T-SPLOST

The transportation system throughout Ware County is the single most important and expensive infrastructure system to build and maintain. Our county roads and city streets are used daily by the traveling public. The construction and maintenance of this transportation system is vitally important to the quality of life of the residents of our community, and its attractiveness to industry and commerce. The residents of Ware County, including those who live in the City of Waycross, have the opportunity to take advantage of the Single-County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) for addressing multiple transportation concerns from the design and construction of two badly needed overpasses (US 1 Business Overpass and Jamestown Overpass), to paving and resurfacing numerous streets in the City of Waycross and the unincorporated area of Ware County. One hundred percent of the funds that are collected by this initiative will be spent on transportation projects in this community.

Ware County Chairman Jimmy Brown and Mayor John Knox have signed an Intergovernmental Agreement that clears a hurdle for a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation purposes to go before voters. On August 17th, the Ware County Board of Commissioners will meet to formally call for the item to be placed on the November 7, 2017 ballot.

All Ware County voters will consider a 1¢ sales tax that would authorize transportation projects like streets and roads, overpasses, traffic control improvements, and more. The proceeds from this 5-year T-SPLOST is projected at a maximum $45 million. Ware County and Waycross have agreed to share the funds with a 50/50 split and selected projects that are important to each jurisdiction.

This website provides information about the T-SPLOST initiative, including an overview of the legislation that made this initiative possible, a list of potential projects to be funded by this initiative, the upcoming Ware County Commission meeting, and more.

Special Note: Ware County is in a region made up of eighteen (18) counties that are all in the Southern Georgia Regional Commission service area. All counties are required to participate in a Regional Roundtable consortium to initiate a 10-year Regional T-SPLOST and share the funds in the region. Seventy-five percent (75%) of the funds are to be used to benefit the region with twenty-five percent (25%) to be distributed to all counties based on population and road mileage. All registered voters in the 18-county region will vote in this Regional T-SPLOST in May 2018, if the voters of Ware County choose not to approve our Single-County T-SPLOST on November 7, 2017.