Sales tax meeting answers questions

City maintenance needs, such as road and water repairs, will be paid for whether the special purpose local option tax passes Tuesday, Richmond County Tax Commissioner Steven Kendrick told a group gathered for a special purpose local option sales tax roundtable Tuesday morning.

"These things will get done, and you and your neighbors will end up paying for it," Mr. Kendrick said. "With the 1-cent sales tax, the people around us, who use our roads, who buy gas in Richmond County share in the cost."

Mr. Kendrick, Mayor Deke Copenhaver and representatives from Heery International Inc., the project manager for such projects as the judicial center and the downtown library, advocated the benefits of passing the sales tax referendum and answered questions about the tax for a group of local residents, many of whom wore orange stickers supporting SPLOST VI.

Tuesday's meeting was the third in as many weeks conducted to inform people about the tax and encourage residents to vote yes, said Butch Gallop, the community liaison for Heery.

"We have had great attendance, and we've really been able to convey the impact passing SPLOST would have on the quality of life and jobs in this community," Mr. Gallop said.

As of Tuesday, 1,161 people have cast early votes in the referendum on a proposed $184.7 million package, according to the Richmond County Board of Elections.

Advance voting continues through Friday at the board's main office in the Municipal Building on Greene Street, the Henry Brigham Community Center on Golden Camp Road and the Warren Road Community Center.

Voter turnout is expected to be 10 percent to 15 percent, which would be between 11,000 and 16,000 people.

Staff Writer Johnny Edwards contributed to this article.

Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.